Smelt or Silver Baitfish

Smelt / Silver Bait fish pattern

Baitfish Pattern

A actual Smelt fish, which is favorite bait for many fishes.

Some Silver bait pattern tie in less than an hour...

I have the Marc Petitjean's Ice Dun - Siver dub with me for some time... but have no idea what to tie with it..... until...

I came across some very nice SLF material from PRISM the other day in our Flyshop... the PRISM SLF is a wonderful material that it's so soft and the Ice Pearl have some UV property mix in the SLF. then I realiaze together with Petitjean's Ice Dub Silver, it's going to be the best combination for bait fish pattern

This pattern imitate any silver color bait fish like 'Seluang' bait fish in our water or similar would be Smelt in colder water... it's also look similar to our small little bait fish at sea.. which we call ikan bilis... 

so this pattern is suitable for both fresh and saltwater.

Materials:

Daiichi - 10172 size 6

Petijean Ice Dub - Silver

PRISM SLF - Pearl and Charcoal

Lead wire

 Orvis 3D Oval Pupil eyes 3/16"

The step by step tying instructions:

Wind in some lead wire, and prepare the hook

The material - PRISM SLF and ICE Dub

Tie in some PRISM SLF 

Tie in some PRISM SLF at bottom and some ICE Dub on top, the fold over, tie down... 

repeat the step

It's similar technique like a hollow fly... always fold over the fiber to the back and tie down, repeat the step until you reach near the hook eye

Now tie in some PRISM SLF Pearl at bottom and Charcoal on top

Fold over the Charcoal fiber and tie down, this is to create bulk in the head profile

Now tie in some Silver ICE dub

Fold both top and bottom fibers and whip finish

Apply some cement to the head

Stick your 3D eye with Gel Super glue

The little bait fish is ready

You can tie as small as size 8 if you are fishing to match the hatch... I'm tying with size 6 hook which I get the pattern as small as 2"

Similar technique... using other color or the ICE Dub and SLF... you will be able to imitate many other bait fish pattern

Cheer and Happy tying

Tightline...!!