Blue Baitfish

Fly: Patrick Welch, Photograph: Hans Weilenmann

Hook: Standard saltwater, size 6, Tiemco 9394 or something similar
Thread: Black
Eyes: Bead Chain; small silver
Body: Silver Krystal Flash and blue Fish Hair

Tying instructions:


  1. Place the # 6 Tiemco 9394 hook in your vice.

  2. Tie in the black thread right behind the eye and make 10-12 wraps close togther.

  3. Tie in a small batch of silver Krystal Flash underneath the hook. The body should be about 1/3 longer than the length of the hook.

  4. Tie in a a small batch of blue Fish Hair on top of the hook and make it the same length as the silver Krystal Flash.

  5. Place a pair of silver bead chain eyes on top of the about 1/8” in back of the eye and tie in with figure eight wraps. Whip finish to secure the thread.

  6. Put a very small drop of Krazy Glue on top of the eyes and turn the fly over and place a drop opposite the eyes.

I like to fish this fly with a heavy 15’ sink tip line on an 7 wt. fly rod. I use a leader that is 5-6’ long when I am fishing for pinks, chums, and silvers in salt water.

If you are lucky enough to find a school or ball of bait fish, cast the fly out into the water where you see the baitfish. Let it sink for about 30 seconds. Start stripping the fly towards you in 1’ strips. The pinks, chums or silvers are usually right under the baitfish or swimming through them. It won’t be long before one of these predator fish makes a move for the fly.

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© 2009 Hans Weilenmann
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