Magic head flat-wing

An extremely easy yet effective pattern for Bass and salt water sea trout.

The modern flat-wing stile of salt water streamer was developed by the American fly tyer and artist Kenny Abrames. He recommends at these streamers are fished on the drift or with a extremely slow retrieve or a combination of both! When fished in this manner the flat-wing creates the illusion of volume with a rippling swimming movement even if they are so slightly dressed. Its important that have constant contact with your stripping hand and the fly line and let the current and wind take care of presentation. Rhody Flat wing a variant of the original was developed by Bill Peabody, a well know fly tyer from Rhody Island in USA. This pattern was made for stripped bass, but has also proved to be an excellent pattern for many other salt water species two of these are our own sea bass and sea trout. One of the great design features of the modern flat-wing is the tying possibilities to taylor to personal requirement’s for size and materials. But remember they should be lightly dressed, if over dressed they will loose their fantastic swimming qualities.

If you are fishing areas with little or no current you can use a Marc Petitjean Magic Head. The magic head can be used in several different ways. You can fold the head backwards over the streamer head like a silicone fish head. But its when you pull the magic head out over the hook eye like a dog cone collar it becomes a very different fly! This creates a side to side swimming action rather like a wobbler that you wouldn’t believe was possible, before you see it for your self. If not really magic, it has an extremely high attractor factor.

Hook: Mustad S7oSZ, # 8-2
Head: MP Magic head 
Tying thread: Dyneema
Tail: White buck-tail, one long olive saddle hackle and five strands of Gliss N Glo
Body: Mother of pearl Body braid
Underwing: Gold buck-tail
Overwing: Green, bucktail blandet sammen
Throat: White buck-tail
Topping: Seven or eight long peacock herl fibres
Cheeks: Synthetic Jungle cock

1
Secure your hook in the vice with the shank horizontal.

2
Choose the appropriate magic head size for the hook you are using.

3
Slide the magic head over the hook eye as shown.

4
If you are using a down eyed hook or have difficulty in getting the magic head over the hook eye, firstly place the points of some scissors into the cone to open the collar a little.

5
Then reverse the cone while still on the scissors.

6
Place the cone over the hook point and slide up the hook shank.

7
Attach your tying thread to the hook shank.

8
Secure the cone, firstly with a few loose turns of thread and then tighter as you go.

9
Cut a small bunch of long white buck-tail the one I am using here is Spirit River UV2 buck-tail.

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10
Tie in the buck-tail as shown for the tail.

11
Select a long olive saddle hackle.

12
Tie in the saddle hackle on top of the buck-tail.

13
Select the desired colour of Gliss N Glow.

14
Tie in a few strands a little longer than the buck-tail.

15
Cut a short length of body braid.

16
Tie this in at the tail base and wrap your tying thread forward towards the hook eye.

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17
Wrap the body braid over about 2 thirds of the hook shank and tie off.

18
Flip the vice over and tie in another small bunch of buck-tail for the throat.

19
Flip the vice again and tie in the first bunch of gold buck-tail for the wing.

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20
On top of the gold buck-tail tie a little smaller bunch of green buck-tail.

21
From just under the eye of a peacock tail feather select your peacock herl. Try and tie these in so that they all flow the same way.

22
For fishing flies I prefer to use synthetic jungle cock, this one from Veniard’s is by far the best I have come across.

23
Tie one JC each side of the magic head.

24
Whip finish and varnish the head.

25
The finished flat wing with a wet profile.

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