Matuka swap

Introduction And Swap Hosted By Robb Nicewonger

When I was about 12, a friend of my dad gave me a fly rod/reel and a box of flies, several of which were Matuka streamers. These were the first flies I both fished and tied, so the Matuka will always be one of my favorite patterns. The style of tying (lashing the wing to the top of the hook by ribbing through the fibers of the feathers) lends itself to infinite possibilities. Virtually any type of feather--or even fur strip, in which case the fly may be referred to as a Zonker--can be used for the wing and the choice of body material is unlimited. (See Bob Petti's article on Matukas for more information on tying this style of fly.)
Throughout the years, small-sized matukas in black, brown, olive, yellow, and red have been very successful for me in catching trout, bass, and panfish. Naturally, when it was suggested that the streamer group swap matukas, I volunteered as swapmeister. I think we came up with some creative examples of this unique style of winging.

OLIVE GRIZZLY MATUKA

Bob Petti

Instructions

1. Start the thread behind the eye of the hook and wind toward the bend, building a foundation layer of thread.
2. Build an "underbody shape" by tying in sections of diamondbraid in progressively longer lengths beneath the hook shank. We want to form a slight belly shape to the fly.
3. Tie in the ribbing material at the rear of the fly on the far underside of the hook.
4. Tie in a longer length of diamond braid on the bottom of the hook shank just behind the eye and wrap your thread toward the bend, trapping the material as you go.
5. Wind the diamond braid forward over the underbody, completing the gold body.
6. Select a pair of matched rooster body feathers such that that useable portion of the feather is about twice the length of the fly's body. Strip off the fluff from the base of the hackles and strip of the fibers from the "bottom" portions of the hackles, so that nothing but bare stem rests against the body when the ribbing tinsel is wound forward.
7. Tie the butts of the hackles securely at the head of the fly and stretch the hackle over the body material tightly.
8. Using a bodkin, part the hackles at a point directly above the end of the body where the first turn of ribbing will be made.
9. While holding the hackles, make a single turn of ribbing to secure the hackles in place, maintaining a vertical orientation in relation to the hook.
10. Continue winding the ribbing forward, parting the hackles as you go with the point of your bodkin. Tie off at the head.
11. Strip a good chunk of red hackle barbs from a soft hackle and tie in a false beard.
12. Tie another grizzly feather by the tip and wind a soft hackle style collar, folding the hackle as you wind.
13. Wrap a neat head and whip finish.

MARABOU MATUKA

Submitted By Jimmie Toney

MARABOU MATUKA

Instructions

1. Position hook in vice, start thread and run to the hook bend. Bind on golden yellow yarn and heavy oval gold tinsel or gold wire. Run thread to position of throat.
2. Wrap golden yellow yarn around hook shank to throat, fasten with a few wraps and cut off excess.
3. Attach red wool and run thread to just behind the eye of the hook.Wrap red wool to just behind hook eye and fasten with a few thread wraps and trim red wool.
4. Select two or three marabou feathers and trim to length. Length should be about two hook lengths. Strip the underside of the feathers for about one hook length.
5. Attach marabou at front of hook just behind the eye laying trimmed section along top of hook shank.
6. Separate feather barbs of marabou and wrap with gold tinsel or wire at regular intervals along hook shank to just behind the eye secure with a few thread wraps and trim excess.
7. Build head with thread and secure with a few whip finishes.
Note:
I finished the head of mine with a black enamel and several coats of head cement.

MULBERRY MATUKA

Submitted By Doug Saball

MEDIUM BROWN MATUKA

Submitted By Clark Lucas

PEACOCK MATUKA

Ron McKusick

Comments:

I developed this fly after receiving a bag of Peacock neck feathers from India. These are very attractive to the eye. I hope they are to the fish as well. This fly is very easy to tie. The bunches are just one neck feather clumped together. Choose the length of feather that you prefer. The process is simple, just tie in clumps to make the tail and wing as heavy or as sparse as you like. After each clump is tied in, wrap a few turns of full peacock herl then another clump. The front of the fly has 2-3 turns of deep Royal Blue hackle and then a black thread head. I hope you like this fly as much as I do.

RUFF GROUSE MATUKA

Kelvin Hartley

MATUKA STYLE

Submitted By Doug Bitton

BLACK MATUKA

Submitted By Bruce P. Whittle

BLACK TIPPED PHEASANT MATUKA

Submitted By Shawn Nicewonger

BROWN/GOLD MATUKA

Submitted By Robb Nicewonger

RED/BLACK MATUKA

Submitted By Robb Nicewonger