Matuka

Red Throat Olive Matuka

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Tying Instructions

1. Secure the hook to the vise and wrap 10-15 turns of leadfree wire to the shank. Use the following wire sizes depending upon the hook: 0.025 Size 6-8, 0.020 Size 10-12, 0.015 Size 14. Allow some space from the eye of the hook. Attach the thread to the shank just in front of the lead wraps.

2. Secure the wire with thread wraps wrapping 4-5 times with spirol wraps, then wrap a thread fouindation back to the bend of the hook. The bend of the hook will be where the thread intersects with the middle of the barb when hanging vertically..

3. Attach a wire ribbing to the bottom of the hook shank. The tag end should be just in front of the wrie wraps. Use Medium or Brassie sizes in Gold or Silver.

4. Tie in Chenille by it’s threaded core at the bend of the hook. Bring the thread to about two eye lengths behind the eye.

5. Twist the chenille so that it gets a brushy look rather than laying flat. Wrap the chenille forward to about the 2/3 positon of the shank and secure with thread wraps..

6. Attach a piece of red chenille (for the gills) by it’s threaded core just in front of the body.

7. Wrap about 1-2 turns against the olive chenille and secure. Leave about two eye widths open to tie in the feathers.

8. Select a pair of Hen Saddle Hackles with the shiny side facing out. Remove the lower fibers from the quills until you reach the desired length. The hackles should extend about one shank length beyond the bend of the hook.

9. Keeping the pair of hackles together, remove the lower fibers from the length of the body where the hackles will sit. This will keep those fibers from being pushed aside by the chenille body.

10. Place the butts on top of the hook shank in front of the body and attach the hen saddle hackles with thread wraps. Bring the hackles down parallel to the body and secure at the bend of the hook with a first ribbing wrap. This first wrap is critical as you want the hackle to be tightly pulled down the shank. The hackle should be vertical and centered on the shank. Use a bodkin to open a space between the hackle fibers for the wire to travel through. The wire should make contact with the bare guill of the hackle not the fibers.

11. Spirol wrap the ribbing wire forward, anchoring the hackles each wrap. Apply pressure to the ribbing wire in a vertical motion as to not twist the wing.

12. Once the ribbing reaches the front of the body, secure with thread wraps and trim off the tag ends of the guill and wire ribbing.

13. Attach another Hen saddle hackle by the tip behind the eye. The curve of the hackle should face the back,

14. Wrap a thick collar with 4-5 turns, each turn directly in front of the other. Do not overlap the fibers as you want these to move freely. Secure with thread wraps and whip finish.

Materials to Order Material, click the link
Hook	TMC 5263 #6-14
Thread	Danville Olive 6/0
Weighted	20 wraps  0.020 leadfree wire
Thorax	Red Chenille
Body	Olive Chenille
Ribbing	Gold Tinsel
Wing	Four Grizzly Olive Hen Hackles
Collar Hackle	Grizzly Olive Hen Hackle

Matuka

The Matuka patterns originated in New Zealand where they were known from their Maori name, Matuku, and were introduced to our Sierran streams during the 1980’s. The Matuka was first revealed to North American fly fishers through Fly Fishing Strategy by Swisher and Richards, published in 1975.  It is a featherwing streamer but the hackle is attached to the shank of the hook by wire ribbing and the barbs are removed to the quill where the hackle lays on top of the body.

Matuka Style

Matuku Bird

The original Matuku bird is protected and the feather was replaced with Hen Pheasant Flank feathers and, later, Chicken Hen Hackles. The pattern became quite popular in Australia, United States, and Britain so that the name became transliterated to Matuka. And, since it was no longer from a Matuku bird, the pattern was considered a style of fly rather than a particular fly pattern.

Matuka Comeback

During the 1990’s, the Red Throat Olive Matuka was one of the favorite streamers within Lake Crowley. These flies can be tied in many colors such as Olive, Black, Red, and Purple. There is a trend within the Sierra to tie these patterns onto smaller hooks, such as sizes 12-14. The smaller streamers can more effectively mimic the actual fry that inhabit most of the lakes and streams. Recently streamers, such as Seal Buggers and Punk Perch, have found increased favor but, come back to this pattern. Many trout like to see something different and this could be a good pattern to reintroduce those trophy trout to. Use a sinking line and fast twitching action.

Variations

I’ve included a variation by Bear Andrews which is depicted in the FFF Fly Pattern Encyclopedia by Al and Gretchen Beatty. He used Crystal Chenille for the body and incorporated “church window” feathers from a Ringneck Pheasant skin for the cheeks. Using cheek materials on featherwing patterns is often a “trigger” effect for many gamefish as well as using a red throat material for the gills of a frightened baitfish.

Variations

Brown Matuka

Hook	TMC 5263 #6-14
Thread	Danville Brown 6/0
Weighted	20 wraps 0.020 leadfree wire
Body	Uni-Yarn Brown
Ribbing	Copper Wire
Wing	Four Grizzly Brown Hen Hackles
Collar Hackle	Grizzly Brown Hen Hackle

Black Matuka

Hook	TMC 5263 #6-14
Thread	Danville Black 6/0
Weighted	20 wraps 0.020 leadfree wire
Thorax	Red Chenille
Body	Midnight Fire Speckled Crystal Chenille
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire
Wing	Four Silver Badger Hackle
Collar Hackle	Black Henback Hackle

Red Matuka

Hook	TMC 5263 #6-14
Thread	Danville Olive 6/0
Weighted	20 wraps 0.020 leadfree wire
Thorax	Red Chenille
Body	Red Floss
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire
Wing	Four Orange CDL Hen Saddle Hackles
Collar Hackle	Orange CDL Hen Saddle Hackles

Yellow Matuka

Hook	TMC 5263 #6-14
Thread	Danville Yellow 6/0
Weighted	20 wraps 0.020 leadfree wire
Body	Yellow Floss
Ribbing	Small Silver Wire
Wing	Four Yellow Hen Saddle Hackles
Collar Hackle	Grizzly Olive Hen Saddle Hackle

Bear’s Olive Matuka

Hook	TMC 5263 #6-8
Thread	Danville Olive 6/0
Weighted	20 wraps 0.020 leadfree wire
Cheeks	Quick View
Body	Olive Krystal Chenille
Ribbing	Brassie Olive Ultrawire
Wing	Four Grizzly Olive Hen Hackles
Collar Hackle	Olive Henback Hackle
Throat	Red Super Hair