Matuka variant

 

Developed in New Zealand to represent a small fish Matuka style flies were  originally tied with feathers from a kind of heron called a "bittern" or in the Maoris language "Matuka". They work well as a stripping fly in situations where bait fish may be on the menu and the most popular colours in Australia is black / red and brown / brown.

Materials

Hook Thread Tail Body Rib Wing / Body Hackle Collar Hackle
Size  8 long shank Brown Mrs. Simpson feathers and marabou flashes Ice chenille or herl rope Copper wire Mrs. Simpson feathers Mrs. Simpson hackle

Process

A
  1. Wind the thread in touching turns from the 95% position to the bend of the hook.
  2. Return the thread to the 90% position.
  3. Tie in several strand of Krystal flash and bind them along the top of the hook shank all the way to the bend of the hook.
  4. The Krystal flash tail should extend behind the fly a distance equal to the length of the hook.

B
  1. Tie in a length of copper wire at the bend of the hook.
  2. Return the thread to the 90% position.

C
  1. Tie in several peacock herl at the 90% position and bind them along the top of the hook shank all the way to the bend of the hook forming an under-body.
  2. Form the peacock herl into a herl rope around the thread and wind the herl rope forward to the 90% position in touching turns forming a uniform cigar shaped body.

D
  1. Select two opposing hackles that are about two and a half times as long as the hook shank.
  2. Trim the hackles of the bottom side of the but end of each hackle for a distance equal  to the shank of the hook.

E
  1. Tie a pre prepared hackle in on each side of the hook just behind the eye of the hook.
  2. Whilst holding the two hackles in position at the bend of the hook with your left hand pick up the copper wire and wind it forward through the hackle fibres forming 4 or 5 segments.

F
  1. Tie the copper wire off just behind the eye of the hook and discard the excess.
  2. Tie in a bear of hackle fibres that extends around the point of the hook.
  3. Build up a neat head of thread.
  4. Whip finish and varnish the head.



Last Updated: December 31, 2010
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Categories: Flies, Streamers & pulling flies
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