This fly was created by Ken Abrames to imitate finger mullet, which move through Rhode Island in the fall. However, to save this fly for September is it do it a disservice. It makes a great herring and alwife imitation in the spring as well as a great big fish searching pattern year round. The light on bottom, dark on top construction resembles the typical color patterning of all baitfish, and the marabou collar adds a lifelike action to the fly. They always say don't judge a book by it's cover. Don't judge a fly by it's name either.
Recipe
Hook: Mustad 3407, size 1/0 - 3/0
Thread: White 6/0.
Tail: sparse clump of white bucktail, then two white (I use cream) saddle hackles, then two strips of silver or pearl flashabou.
Body: Silver Mylar braid.
Throat: Sparse, long white bucktail tied as a three-quarter collar, both sides and bottom.
Collar: White marabou, folded or doubled three or four turns.
WING: 30 long white bucktail hairs, then 15 strands of purple bucktail (I use blue and pink mixed) then two strands of blue flash, then one natural black saddle hackle.
Tying Tips:
White is often considered a must-have color for fly tying materials. I like white, in some materials, but not always in why flatwing feathers. No fish is actually white. If anything a lot of seemingly white fish have hints of yellow as a result of their fat content. As I was building my flatwing saddle collection I decided to skip the white saddle and go for a cream colored saddle instead. That said, this is totally idiosyncratic and I bet the fish don't give a damn whether you use white or cream saddles.
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