How to Tie the Umpqua Swimming Baitfish Fly

The Umpqua Swimming Baitfish is produced in a variety of colors for freshwater and saltwater use. The streamer-style fly is designed to imitate the erratic swimming motion of a baitfish. The fly requires advanced tying skills to create the rounded deer hair head and collar. The Swimming Baitfish is capable of catching most species but is especially common in salt water and in fresh water for bass and pike. The fly-tying materials for the pattern are common and easily obtained through most fly shops and Internet fly-fishing retailers.

Things You'll Need

  • Vise
  • 1/0 streamer hook
  • Gel spun thread
  • Saddle hackles
  • Pearl flash
  • Marabou
  • Red flash
  • Deer hair
  • Whip finish tool
  • Razor blade
  • Stick-on eyes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clamp the hook in the vise and start the thread on the hook bend. Make 20 overlapping thread wraps on the bend to ensure that the thread is secure to the shank.

    • 2

      Select four long saddle hackles. Align the tips of two of the feathers with the natural bend facing inward. Hold the two feathers on top of the shank and make 10 thread wraps to lock them in place. Cut the extra base stems off the hook.

    • 3

      Align the two remaining hackle feather tips with the natural curve facing outward. Hold one feather on each side of the hook bend with the previous two feathers in the center. Make 10 thread wraps to lock the feathers on the shank. Cut the extra base stem sections off the hook.

    • 4

      Cut seven pieces of pearl flash to match the length of the saddle hackle feathers. Hold the flash on the hook bend and make 10 wraps to secure it in place. Wrap the thread to the halfway point on the hook shank.

    • 5

      Measure and cut a clump of marabou to match two-thirds the length of the shank. Hold the clump on the hook at the thread position and make 10 wraps to secure it in place. Repeat the process with a second clump but secure it on the bottom of the shank.

    • 6

      Cut six strands of red flash to match the length of the marabou. Make five wraps to secure the flash on one side of the hook. Repeat the process on the opposite side. The flash imitates the gills on a baitfish.

    • 7

      Cut a thick clump of deer hair from a hide and hold it on the shank at the halfway point. Adjust the hair until the tips align with the marabou. Make four low-pressure thread wraps to gather and hold the hair. Make an additional five firm wraps to secure the hair and flare the butt fibers.

    • 8

      Cut a second section of deer hair and hold it flat against the top of the shank. Make four tight thread wraps to spin and flare the hair. Push the hair toward the hook bend and repeat the process until you reach the hook eye. Use a whip finish tool to half-hitch and tie off the thread at the hook eye. Cut the thread off the hook.

    • 9

      Push a razor blade against the bottom of the flared hair to create a flat section on the bottom of the head. Flex the blade in your hand to create a curve and push the blade against the top and sides of the head to create a round design. Push one stick-on eye against each side of the head.