E-Z Sand Eel tied by Barry Ord Clarke
Fly Fishing, Fly fishing Streamers, Fly tying materials and fly tying tools, Step by Step

E-Z Sand Eel – step by step

The original pattern this is based on is form the vice of my late, old friend Jack Gartside. This is not only an extremely effective pattern but also requires the minimum materials and once you have mastered the technique is very quick to tie.

Like the most effective coast wobblers that represent Tobis this pattern is a darter, and has next to no movement in the materials, but like a fleeing sand eel it “darts” in a short fast “zig zag” movement.  Another “problem” for many fly fishermen is that the hook on this pattern is mounted at the head of the fly, leaving a good length of body for the sea trout, sea bass to bite at without being hooked.  This can be the case with smaller fish but larger fish tend to take this pattern contant.  Also a interesting little experiment that I have undertaken a few times is, if you are cleaning a fish that you see has been feeding on sand eels just have a look at which way the head of the sand eel is facing in the stomach of the fish, nearly always, has the sand eel been swallowed head first!  The attach point for pradatory fish is the eyes and these new Fleye foils from Bob Popovics make very realistic sand eel and bait fish patterns.

Sand eels shoal in very large numbers, but are seldom seen during the day in the shallows as they lie buried in the sand, away from predators.  They first appear during the evening, when they come out to feed through the night.  But despite there nocturnal habits sand eel patterns can be fished around the clock the whole year.

You can also try other colour combinations, but keep in mind the general rule of the lightest colour on the stomach and the darkest colour on the back.

A great pattern for salt water sea trout and Sea Bass.

E-Z Sand Eel pattern recipe

How to tie E-Z Sand Eel streamer

Secure your salt water hook in the vice. I like to use a Mustad C70SNP Big game light for this patter beacause of its wide gape and short shank.
Take a length of medium E-Z Body tubing about 6-7-cm long. Measure the the tubing along the hook shank, so that you know where to insert the hook eye into the tube.
Make a opening in the tube where you are going to thread it onto the hook shank.
Thread the tube onto your hook as shown.
Slide the tube back and attach your tying thread behind the hook eye.
Thread a long loop of mono through the E-Z body tube towards the tail.
Thread the bunch of Flashabou through the mono loop and pull this through the tube and out at the hook eye.
Tie down the Flashabou just behind the hook eye.

Tie in the end of the tube and make a neat tight head.

Select your chosen Fleye Foil product. I have used small 25 mm. sand eel foils.
Remove the Fleye Foils from there card and stick them in place, one each side of the eel head and tie down using the small attachment on the foils.
Once you have whip finished and removed your tying thread, turn your fly in the vice so you can tie down the tail at the base of the E-Z body tube. Once secure give it a small drop of Bug Bond just to hold it in place. Remove tying thread and reset hook the correct way in the vice.
The sand eel should now look like this. You can trim the Flashabou tail down to your required size and shape.
You can now colour your sand eel if wished with water proof felt markers.
Carefully coat the foils and head of the eel with Bug Bond and cure with the UV light as you go.
If you want a more three dimentional effect make small colour ajustments with felt pens after every coat of Bug Bond. This builds up layers and gives more depth.
If you ‘open’ the tail of Flashabou and place a tiny drop of Bug Bond at the base and cure! the tail will remain flaired and open.
One of the great things about E-Z body tube is that it remains flexible.

Order My new book

new book

Best Fly Tying Magnifying Glasses
Best Fly Tying Magnifying Glasses

One thought on “E-Z Sand Eel – step by step”