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Green Matuka Glass Bead Fly
Copy and photos by Ray Bradley (GrayGhost)

I've always liked the Matuka patterns and when I found some glass beads I liked, the idea to combine the two took form.

The GMGB is fished like any Matuka, down and across and was designed for steelhead and chum salmon.

Materials List:

    Hook:   Alec Jackson size 3.

    Thread:   Black 8/0.

    Butt and Rib:   Lemon yellow wire 26 gauge.

    Body:   6 sea green glass beads silver lined.

    Wing:   2 chartreuse hackle, 2 emerald green grizzly hackle, tied Matuka style.

    Collar:   1 chartreuse hackle, 1 emerald green hackle wrapped as a pair.

    Head:   Black 8/0 thread.

Instructions - Green Matuka Glass Bead Fly:

    1. Place beads on hook sliding beads as far forward as you can.

    2. Tie in ribbing (wire); start building a snug base using thread, tying off then moving beads back. Repeating until all beads have a snug base to sit on.

    3. Tie thread in forward of beads locking them in place.

    4. Wrap ribbing back toward the hook bend, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, then forward forming the butt. This lock the beads in place. Leave ribbing hanging to be used to hold wing in place.

    5. Tie in the 4 wing hackles with the chartreuse on the outside and the emerald green grizzly hackle on the inside.

    6. Wrap the ribbing forward, holding the wing down, in the Matuka style. Space the wraps a bead width apart, between each bead.

    7. Tie in the collar hackles with the emerald green hackle behind the chartreuse hackle, wrapped as a pair.

    8. Form head and tie off.

    ~ Ray Bradley (GrayGhost)


For more great flies, check out: Beginning Fly Tying, Intermediate Fly Tying and Advanced Fly Tying.