Iain’s Buckfibre Sandeel

One of the most popular materials we sell here at Silver Scales fly tying is our lovely Buckfibre material.

Buckfibre is great when used as a synthetic substitute for natural Bucktail but it can be used as a material in it’s own right to tie some very effective patterns!

Like most materials Buckfibre can be tied in different ways to achieve varying results, simply tying it in straight is the easiest and most basic way to begin using it.

Iain Mortimer has come up with a smashing Sandeel pattern that demonstrates this perfectly. Iain has kindly put together the step by step below for anyone wanting to try what is bound to attract the attentions of some Bass, Pollock and Mackerel!

Sandeel step by step

Ingredients:

Size 2 Silver Scales Saltwater fly hook

Silver scales Buckfibre in White, Yellow, Chartreuse and Red.

Sybai saltwater angel hair

Silver Scales Magnum Flashabou in Pearl.

Olive Thread Veevus 140 or similar

Solarez Thick

3mm Silver Scales 3d eyes.

1. Tie onto a size 2 hook with olive thread 2. Select a small amount of white buckfibre, tease out a few threads to create a tapered end for the tail and tie on, at the length you want the fly to be, on the underside of the hook. Allow roughly half to go either side of the bend.

Note: don’t tie the material too close to the hook eye so that you have plenty of space to build the typical Sandeel fine pointy head at the end.

2. Select a similar amount of flash and tie it to roughly the same length as the white buckfibre but on top of the hook.

3. Repeat with yellow buckfibre

…and then chartreuse buckfibre
4. Add a lateral line using magnum flash and the gills using red buckfibre
5. Stick the eyes in place. silver/gold eyes also look great for this pattern
7. Use solarez thick to coat the eyes and head THINLY! Build it up slowly until you’ve formed the head and body along the hook shank
8. Go catch some fish with that lovely fly…

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