Sapphire Back Baitfish Streamer
by @dekasso
Saltwater fly
Blue back flashing through a feeding rip
A size 1/0 saltwater baitfish streamer in blue, seafoam, yellow and white, tied for fast inshore fish chasing bait.
A saltwater baitfish streamer with a deep blue back, seafoam flanks and a bright white belly. Barred blue saddle hackles run down each side, finished with a glittered resin head and silver eyes.
- Imitates
- Fall baitfish run, typically late summer into autumn
- Hook
- size 1
- Tippet
- 0Xrule of three
- Size 1/0 stainless saltwater hook
- Royal blue back over seafoam flanks
- Barred blue saddle hackle on each side
- Glittered UV resin head
- Silver 3D eyes
On the water
Royal blue sits on top, fading through seafoam to a white belly with a thin yellow stripe between. Blue barred saddle hackles lie along the flanks. Up front, a silver-flecked resin head carries two big silver eyes.
Cast it to the edge of a rip or busting bait and strip it fast and erratic. Short pauses let the fibers breathe and the barred hackle flicker. On a bright day the glitter head catches the light on every strip.
Stacking the EP Fibers thin is what keeps the profile tall and clean. Tie each colour in sparse bunches, longer at the back and shorter at the belly, so the fly sheds water and casts well.
Rigging
- Tippet
- 0Xhook size divided by three
- Rig on a 16 to 20 lb fluorocarbon leader; add a short bite tippet where bluefish are around.
- Use an intermediate line to hold it just under the surface in a chop.
- Strip fast with short pauses, and keep the rod tip low to stay tight.
Where and when
- Water
- Henry's Fork of the Snake, Eastern Idaho
- Hatch
- Fall baitfish run, typically late summer into autumn
- Target
- False albacore, Bonito, Striped bass, Bluefish
- Water type
- Inshore rips, open flats, harbour mouths and nearshore surf
- Also fishes
- Also swims well for schoolie stripers in estuaries and for bluefish along jetties and sandy beaches.
Also on this water
- Green DrakeJun
- Pale Morning DunJun–Jul
- Brown DrakeJun
- TricoAug–Sep
Fished out of Last Chance, Island Park and Ashton.
Make it yourself
Intermediate8 materials · 11 steps
- Style
- Saltwater fly
- Hook
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye, size 1/0
- Thread
- Royal blue 140-denier
Materials in the order they go on the hook
- BellyWhite EP Fibers
- FlashPearl Flashabou
- LateralYellow EP Fibers
- WingSeafoam green EP Fibers
- SidesBlue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle
- BackRoyal blue EP Fibers
- EyesSilver 3D stick-on eyes
- HeadUV resin with silver glitter
Details
- Imitates
- Baitfish
- Colors
- Royal blue, Seafoam green, White, Yellow, Silver
How to tie it
The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (11)
- Mount the 1/0 hook in the vise and start the blue thread a third of the way back from the eye.
- Tie in a sparse bunch of white EP Fibers on the underside, about three hook lengths long, as the belly.
- Add four to six strands of pearl Flashabou along each side, trimmed just past the belly fibers.
- Tie in a thin bunch of yellow EP Fibers on each side as a lateral stripe, slightly shorter than the belly.
- Lay a sparse bunch of seafoam green EP Fibers on top as the wing, running to the end of the belly.
- Tie one blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle along each side, curving inward, reaching just past the wing.
- Top with a bunch of royal blue EP Fibers for the back, matching the wing length.
- Build a smooth, tapered thread head, whip finish and trim the thread.
- Comb out the fibers and shape the fly to a tapered baitfish profile with scissors.
- Stick a silver 3D eye on each side of the head.
- Coat the head and eyes with UV resin mixed with silver glitter, rotate to even it out, then cure.
Proportions (5)
- Overall length about three and a half times the hook shank.
- Belly and wing fibers about three hook lengths past the bend.
- Saddle hackles extend slightly past the wing for a tapered tail.
- Resin head covers the front quarter of the shank, eyes centred on it.
- Profile tallest just behind the head, tapering evenly to the tail.
Tips (4)
- Thin each bunch of EP Fibers before tying in; sparse layers cast better and look fuller wet.
- Pick hackles with matching curves so the sides sit flat and the fly swims straight.
- Rotate the fly while curing the resin so the glitter spreads evenly around the head.
- Use a stainless hook so salt does not stain the fibers.
Common mistakes (4)
- Overloading fibers makes a heavy, fouling fly; keep each colour to a pencil-lead sized bunch.
- Hackles flared outward make the fly spin; tie them flat with the curve facing in.
- Thick, lumpy resin heads add weight; apply thin coats and cure between them.
- Crowding the eye leaves no room for the knot; stop the head a few millimetres short.
Every kit size
Materials only
As tied · Materials only · 12 flies
$69.20
$5.77 a fly
Includes Saltwater stainless straight-eye · Silver 3D stick-on eyes · and 10 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Hooks & beads
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye$6.50
- Silver 3D stick-on eyes$5.95
Thread & wire
- Royal blue 140-denier thread$2.95
Materials
- Other material: White EP Fibers$4.50
- Pearl Flashabou$3.95
- Other material: Yellow EP Fibers$4.50
- Other material: Seafoam green EP Fibers$4.50
- Blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle$11.95
- Other material: Royal blue EP Fibers$4.50
- UV resin with silver glitter$13.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
As tied · Materials only · 48 flies
$173.23
$3.61 a fly
Bought separately $182.35 · you save $9.12
Includes Saltwater stainless straight-eye · Silver 3D stick-on eyes · and 10 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Hooks & beads
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye$13
- Silver 3D stick-on eyes$11.90
Thread & wire
- Royal blue 140-denier thread$5.90
Materials
- Other material: White EP Fibers$18
- Pearl Flashabou$11.85
- Other material: Yellow EP Fibers$18
- Other material: Seafoam green EP Fibers$18
- Blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle$47.80
- Other material: Royal blue EP Fibers$18
- UV resin with silver glitter$13.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
As tied · Materials only · 144 flies
$407.70
$2.83 a fly
Bought separately $463.30 · you save $55.60
Includes Saltwater stainless straight-eye · Silver 3D stick-on eyes · and 10 more
Every item in this kit · 12 items
Hooks & beads
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye$35
- Silver 3D stick-on eyes$35.70
Thread & wire
- Royal blue 140-denier thread$17.70
Materials
- Other material: White EP Fibers$45
- Pearl Flashabou$31.60
- Other material: Yellow EP Fibers$45
- Other material: Seafoam green EP Fibers$45
- Blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle$143.40
- Other material: Royal blue EP Fibers$45
- UV resin with silver glitter$13.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
With vise & tools
As tied · With vise & tools · 12 flies
$219.20
$18.27 a fly
Includes Saltwater stainless straight-eye · Silver 3D stick-on eyes · and 19 more
Every item in this kit · 21 items
Hooks & beads
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye$6.50
- Silver 3D stick-on eyes$5.95
Thread & wire
- Royal blue 140-denier thread$2.95
Materials
- Other material: White EP Fibers$4.50
- Pearl Flashabou$3.95
- Other material: Yellow EP Fibers$4.50
- Other material: Seafoam green EP Fibers$4.50
- Blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle$11.95
- Other material: Royal blue EP Fibers$4.50
- UV resin with silver glitter$13.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
As tied · With vise & tools · 48 flies
$315.73
$6.58 a fly
Bought separately $332.35 · you save $16.62
Includes Saltwater stainless straight-eye · Silver 3D stick-on eyes · and 19 more
Every item in this kit · 21 items
Hooks & beads
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye$13
- Silver 3D stick-on eyes$11.90
Thread & wire
- Royal blue 140-denier thread$5.90
Materials
- Other material: White EP Fibers$18
- Pearl Flashabou$11.85
- Other material: Yellow EP Fibers$18
- Other material: Seafoam green EP Fibers$18
- Blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle$47.80
- Other material: Royal blue EP Fibers$18
- UV resin with silver glitter$13.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
As tied · With vise & tools · 144 flies
$539.70
$3.75 a fly
Bought separately $613.30 · you save $73.60
Includes Saltwater stainless straight-eye · Silver 3D stick-on eyes · and 19 more
Every item in this kit · 21 items
Hooks & beads
- Saltwater stainless straight-eye$35
- Silver 3D stick-on eyes$35.70
Thread & wire
- Royal blue 140-denier thread$17.70
Materials
- Other material: White EP Fibers$45
- Pearl Flashabou$31.60
- Other material: Yellow EP Fibers$45
- Other material: Seafoam green EP Fibers$45
- Blue-dyed grizzly saddle hackle$143.40
- Other material: Royal blue EP Fibers$45
- UV resin with silver glitter$13.95
Finishing
- Head cement$5.95
Tools
- Rotary pedestal vise$79
- Ceramic bobbin$14
- Fine-point scissors$16
- Whip finisher$9
- Hackle pliers$7
- Bodkin$5
- Bobbin threader$4
- Dubbing wax$4
- Canvas tool roll$12
Guide
- Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded
The creator
How it was made
1 iteration led here; the saved one is marked
1 Saved
Remixes
2 steps back
- Salmonfly Hatch Trout Trucker Hat@dekasso · the original
- Sapphire Back Baitfish Streameryou are here
1 remix of this
Where this came from
“Turn this hat into a fly.”
fly pattern · made
1 remix
25 — from 1 remix, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
- saltwater
- baitfish
- streamer
- blue
- seafoam
- false albacore
- striped bass
- bonito
- bluefish
- resin head
- grizzly saddle
- ep fibers