Bodkin / Patterns

Redfish Bitter

Shrimp · Redfish · Bonefish · Sea Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Mustad 3407 or Tiemco 811S, 2-6
  • Thread Olive or tan UTC 140

Materials

  • Eyes (weight) Medium bead chain or small dumbbell (1 pair)
  • Head Epoxy or UV resin over the eyes, colored (1 coat)
  • Legs Olive or amber Sili Legs (2-3 pairs)
  • Wing/tail Olive deer hair or bucktail, tips splayed (10-20 hairs)
  • Collar Olive Z-lon or Antron (1 sparse clump)

How to tie it

  1. Lash bead-chain or small dumbbell eyes across the shank at the 30% mark, behind the hook eye.
  2. Tie in 2-3 pairs of Sili Legs at the eyes with figure-eights so they splay out to the sides.
  3. Tie in a small bunch of olive deer hair (10-20 hairs) behind the eyes, tips extending a shank length past the bend and flared. The flare is the 'legs kicking' trigger of every Bitters-style fly.
  4. Add a sparse Z-lon collar over the deer hair butts.
  5. Coat the head area, eyes, and thread wraps with tinted epoxy or UV resin, shaping a smooth wedge head. This makes the fly nearly indestructible and gives it its glassy crab-like carapace.
  6. Whip finish behind the head before the resin cures and trim legs to length.

Tying videos

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