Published Sep 24. 2024 - 2 weeks ago
Updated or edited Sep 24. 2024

Ribbontail Baitfish

A mobile tailed baitfish pattern tied with organza and synthetic fibres

Ready for a swim
Ready for a swim
Nick Thomas

I’ve previously used organza ribbon to make the tails and bodies for a number of fish imitations like my Micro Minnow. These patterns all use one or more triangular pieces of ribbon welded together at one end with a lighter flame. The Ribbontail Baitfish takes a different approach using two pieces of trimmed ribbon fused back-to-back to form a mobile tail for a baitfish tied with synthetic fibres.

You can buy organza ribbon by the metre or the spool in craft shops or online in widths from 3mm to 25mm. Since an organza fish tail is made with two pieces of ribbon you can make tails from 6mm to 50mm to suit a wide range of sizes of baitfish imitations.

Original concept
Making a tail.
Concept and tail making
Nick Thomas

To make a tail first cut two suitable lengths of organza ribbon for the size of fish you are tying. Cut along close to one woven edge as shown in the diagram (1), then cut in from the other end and across the ribbon (2 & 3) to remove a rectangular section at the end. Complete the tail shape with an angled cut (4) intersecting with the first cut. Repeat the cuts on the second piece of ribbon, put the two pieces together, hold the ends with metal tweezers and fuse the ends together with a flame.

Small version
Small version
Nick Thomas

The body of the Ribbontail is formed from bunches of synthetic fibres tied in along the shank. There are many suitable fibres available, including Enrico Puglisi (EP) fibres, Semperfli Predator Fibres, Hemingway Streamer Fibres and Congo Hair. Prices and geographical availability vary, so use those you can get easily without paying a fortune. The important feature of all synthetic streamer or predator fibres is that they don’t absorb water, so you don’t end up trying to cast the equivalent of a wet sock.

Materials
Materials
Nick Thomas

The key to tying a good-looking fibre fish is using monofilament thread which disappears when coated with varnish or UV-resin and blends into the coloured fibres of the body. There are a few suppliers of mono-thread including Danville, UTC, Veevus and UNI. UNI-Mono comes in two sizes which is useful for tying big or little fish. Again, use whichever you can get hold of where you live.

Mono thread
Mono thread
Nick Thomas

If you are not familiar with the techniques for tying in the body fibres and trimming to shape, I recommend you watch Charlie Craven tying an EP Minnow which covers everything in detail.

Synthetic streamer fibres are available in a wide range of colours, so choose combinations to imitate your chosen baitfish. The one shown here is tied to represent the small wrasse and pollack that live among the rocks and kelp around the rocky shores of west Wales where I do my saltwater fly fishing in the spring and summer.

The Ribbontail Baitfish
The Ribbontail Baitfish
Nick Thomas
Ribbontail Baitfish
Pattern type: 
Baitfish fly
Originator: 
Nick Thomas

A mobile tailed baitfish pattern tied with organza and synthetic fibres

Materials: 
Hook
Gamakatsu SL12S #1/0
Thread
UNI-Mono
Tail
12mm organza ribbon
Belly
Grey and orange Hemingway’s predator streamer fibres
Back
Dark-olive Hemingway’s predator streamer
Eyes
5mm gold and black adhesive tape
Skill level/difficulty: 
Easy
Instruction: 
  1. Run on the monofilament thread at the hook eye, take down to the bend and remove the tag end.
  2. Tie in the prepared tail positioning the ribbon along the hook shank to keep the fin upright, remove the waste and take the thread back to the hook bend.
  3. Cut a sparse bunch of belly fibres from the hank and trim to twice the length from the hook to the tail. Tie in by their mid-point under the hook.
  4. Repeat with a bunch of dark fibres for the back finishing with the thread to the rear of the tying in point.
  5. Fold back the belly fibres and tie down then fold back and tie down the back fibres, finishing with the thread in front of the folded fibres.
  6. Apply UV-resin over the thread wraps (or use varnish and take a break while it dries).
  7. Repeat steps 3-6 building the body up to the hook eye, shortening the length of the fibres and changing to orange belly fibres as you move forward.
  8. Whip finish, remove the thread and coat the thread wraps with UV-resin or varnish.
  9. Trim the fibres to form the baitfish shape.
  10. Add the eyes and coat the head area with UV-resin.

Tying in bunches of fibres is much like applying dubbing; less is better. The number of fibres you need is surprisingly small and if you use too much, they’re just going to end up in the bin when you trim the fly.

When tying bigger fish with larger tails treating the ribbon with flexible acrylic varnish or UV-resin makes the cutting process easier and maintains the shape of the tail. Cut a length of ribbon twice the desired length of the tail and lay flat on a piece of paper or card. Apply a small amount of varnish or resin over the middle section of the ribbon and use the edge of a piece of card as a squeegee to spread a thin coat along the ribbon for twice the length of the tail fin. Pick up the ribbon and place it on its edge to dry, or cure with a UV torch. Cut the coated ribbon in half and then trim the two pieces to form the tail.

25 mm tail
25 mm tail
Nick Thomas

If you prefer, the top and bottom sections of the tail can be different colours, either using sections of different coloured ribbons or by shading part of a light colour ribbon with a dark marker pen.

Gold organza
Gold organza
Nick Thomas
Two-tone
Two-tone
Nick Thomas
Rock, sand and kelp
Nick Thomas

Ribbontails are not just for saltwater fishing, the same technique can be used with narrow organza ribbon to make streamers for fishing rivers or lakes. With different colours of ribbon and fibres you can imitate minnows and other small species or the fry of larger ones.

Tiny baitfish
Tiny baitfish
Nick Thomas
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