Long Flies—the Hen Saddle Matuka
I’ve had a request to show the tying steps for the Hen Saddle Matuka. This fly is a nod to the original Matuka, developed in New Zealand in the early 1900s and used to fish for the absolutely monster rainbows on the North Island, and well as the huge browns on the South Island. The original Matuka was made from the very soft, marabou-like feathers of the matuku bittern. These birds have been protected since the 1930s, and their plumage has been replaced by fur strips, cock hackle, hen hackle, and other feathers. The Hen Saddle Matuka only became possible after Tom Whiting began specifically breeding a variety of birds, including the much-sought-after Coq de Leon and other strains. The hen saddles are incredible! Delicately mottled and speckled, they also have a perfect shape and softness for this fly.
You can read more about this imitation and many others in our new book, Long Flies, the third book in our series Fly Fishing. The Hen Saddle Matuka and other variations are discussed on pages 44-46 of Long Flies, and the fly is shown in color in Chapter 10 (fly 10.20). This new book will emerge from the press and bindery the first week in April. There is a pre-release special price for inscribed copies at $25.00 each, postage paid at Long Flies Pre-Release Special. This special runs until April 15th. The books will be shipped sometime in the first part of April (see the post below).
The Hen Saddle Matuka is featured in our shortly forth-coming book: Long Flies.
Step 1. Attach the thread and leave a long tag end untrimmed.
Step 2. Tie in a hen saddle feather tip first, do not remove the marabou-like fluff at the bottom of the feather. Form a spinning loop, insert the feather in the loop so that the thread of the loop runs along the feather shaft. Close the loop and spin very tight.
Step 3. Wind the feather over the rear half of the shank.
Step 4. Repeat step two, winding the feather over the front portion of the shank; leave enough room at the head to wind a hackle.
Step 5. Tie in two hen saddle feathers like a standard feather wing; do not remove the marabou-like fluff at the bottom of the feather. Put the cup sides inward for a streamlined look, cup sides outward to give the fly more action.
Step 6. Use the tag end of the thread to secure the feather wing to the top of the shank, Matuka-style.
Step 7. Use a hen saddle feather to hackle the fly. Do not remove the marabou-like fluff at the bottom of the feather. Rather, strip off a bit of the fluff so that the portion of shaft with “normal” fibers is about the same length as that portion of the shaft with “marabou” fibers (left, above). Crimp the heavy, butt portion of the shaft between your thumbnail and index finger (right, above). This will allow the feather to turn easily around the hook shank and not break as the hackle is wound. Artwork by Jason Borger.
Step 8. Finish a neat head, and the Hen Saddle Matuka is complete.