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Fly Tying
Tim Shovel

matuka tying style

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I tied some in the past, after reading a magazine article about New Zealand trout flies. The only "Matuka" style I tie now are Zonkers.

 

Those I tied were done so with grizzly hen chicken hackle or some body feathers from either a hen or rooster Ringneck Pheasant. I can't recall exactly, but likely I tied less than a dozen total so my experience with them was very limited. What I tied didn't have any added weight in them.

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I tried with saddle hackle a few days ago, ended up as a basic streamer. I'm having trouble tying the rest of the feather to the hook, mind the feather was very thin and the fibers are shaped forwards, instead of coming straight out, probably just need different feathers

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I've tied hundreds of these over the years, beautifully simple and quite effective. Easy to figure out how to tie as the recipe only has three parts, wing, body and rib. You can of course add more material (eyes, contrasting collar, etc.) but three is enough. I tie them as small as 10 and find the pattern a great way to use up leftover feathers that don't quite seem to fit elsewhere.

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My only tip would be to push the bodkin needle from the back side to part the wing. I'm right handed and by parting the wing from the backside would be the same angle the wire would be wound thru the wing, matting down less wing fibers.

Bob

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Tim,


Once you get the hang of these Matukas they become easier to tie. Tying two flies will not do it, maybe a couple of dozen :-)...keep at it. The real incentive is that first fish! Once it's caught you will find this fly very addictive.


Since you understand that the Matuka is a style of tying a fly I would also direct you to use materials other than feathers for the wing if you have trouble finding good feathers. Before the Famous "Zonkers" introduced by Dan Byford came about, there is the "Rabbit Matuka". Tied with the same fur strip utilized for Byfords fly. I first discovered the Fur Matukas searching through an Orvis catalog prolly from '70-'71, four or five years before the Zonker. https://www.google.com/search?q=rabbit+strip+matuka&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS602US602&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=cEExVbqbOczooASYq4HwDQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg


Synthetic yarn can also be used but differs a little form the true Matuka wing being lashed down with ribbing but the non-fouling aspect of the design is maintained. See "the Aztec".....http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/patterns/aztec/. An older fly which is slightly more involed to tie is the "Ozark Weedless"tied with bucktail but yarns can be used.


Here is the way I do it nowadays, I use mono loops...has all the matuka attributes plus you can tie the fly as small as you want , which some of the other materials will limit. The fly has some pedigree...I have been using it since 1974, you might call it my "go to". For comparison the first fly is size # 1/0 and the next a size #14.


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I floated Virginia's James River for smallmouth and the Matuka in size 6 and 8 performed very well. I used back feathers from my large Buff Orpingtons (light yellow) hens and even used markers to give stripes and spots. However, my favorite is large furnace hen back.

 

For the record... The Matuka's style is from New Zealand and the name has somehow been changed from Matuku to Matuka and I have not been able to find out why or when. It is still Matuku in NZ. It has happened to other patterns as well.

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Here is an article in the NZherald on the history. I need to point out that during the whole article he says bittern. The genus name Matuku is the term for “heron” or "bittern" in the Māori language.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/recreational-fishing/news/article.cfm?c_id=75&objectid=10780253

 

These are great looking flies! I also can not find any source for Matuka definition while the definition of Matuku fit perfect with a fly style.

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Since it's a NZ fly in origin, the magazine article in which I learned about it, also mentioned some other popular flies for that region. Many of them are as effective here in the US as they are in NZ, especially if you try them for SM bass. I've tied & used them all or variations of them. The basic Matuka styles were my least favorites, but as stated here they can work well.

 

They include the Parson's Glory, Taupo Tiger, Jack Spratt ( Matuka style patterns), Red Setter, Mrs Simpson, Hamill's Killer, Craigs Night Time, Fuzzy Wuzzy, Scotch Poacher, Zulu and various rabbit Matuka versions. I liked the black, and the orange rabbit versions. These were all mentioned in that article, which was in either Field & Stream or Outdoor Life ( I don't recall which) & in the mid to late 70's. Some of these require substitute materials, as they were originated with feathers found in NZ & from what I've read are now protected birds, but that's not a big issue because the variants still produce. I believe the Mrs. Simpson was one that used a NZ hackle, but even in that article was tied with Ringneck Pheasant hackle.

 

So, if you want to tie & try something different........! wink.png

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The Whilock Sculpin has worked well for me ,its heavily weighted and the 'Matuka Feathers ' are Whitings American Hackle and there are (12) feathers that make it up.

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I lived in Mammoth Lakes, California for 31 years. The olive Matuka was THE go-to fly for all lakes and impoundments in the Eastern Sierra. I tied for a few of the local lodges and guides for quite a while and had to tie more Matukas than all other patterns put together. Once you tie a few of these you get real good at it and they are worth having a LOT of in your fly boxes. Most times I am out-catching everyone else on whatever impoundment or reservoir I am fishing. I use a float tube, 9 1/2 foot Sage and a sink tip line to get the fly down. When folks see you catching 35 or 40 fish to their one, they all wanna know what you're using. When you show them, the next question is if they can have one. Sure. I end up selling a lot of Matukas where ever I am fishing. The best part is what the folks are willing to pay for the flies.... They KNOW they can't get one in their local fly shop because there is NO fly shop anywhere near. My point? Matukas are very worth your time to learn how to tie.

 

I use pearlescent mylar tinsel for the rear of the body followed by red wool for the gills, 2 brahma type feathers for the wing, thin gold wire for the rib, all on a size 14 #060 dai riki hook. Oh, and I always squeeze the barb; ya gotta make it easy to release em, you'll have to release a LOT of them with a Matuka. Just sayin....

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When you separate the wing fibers with a needle type bodkin, come in with the needle from the back. Poke thru the wing at the same angle as you are wrapping the wire to tie down the wing. This will trap less wing fibers and make the wing look as good as it can.

Bob

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