If you want to learn more about Flatwings, check out Ken Abrames pioneering works, Striper Moon and A Perfect Fish. Both are beautiful books with detailed instructions on Flatwings, and other patterns developed by Ken. Ken’s website is http://www.stripermoon.com

The three feather flatwings are good patterns for imitating bait that is a little bigger than usual. In my opinion , it is at its best imitating bait 5 to 8" such as bunker or mullet.

Tying Sequence

Step One

Tie in a platform of mixed yellow and apple green bucktail..

Step Two

Dub a pillow of red.

Step Three

Tie in a stiff stem neck hackle curve or dull side up. This is the main difference between a small one or two feather flatwing and the larger ones. The neck hackle is required to add support to the tail assembly. The neck feather should be about half the length of the finished tail.

 

Step Four

Tie in a white saddle curve side down. When I tie my tails in, each feather is a little longer than the previous one.

Step Five

Tie in two strips of pearl flash and a yellow saddle.

Step Six

Tie in 2 strips blue flash and a chartruse badger saddle. Trim the flash about 3/4" longer than the longest tail feather.

Step Seven

Tie in a pearl body.

Step Eight

Tie in a collar of yellow bucktail on the bottom, apple green on the sides.

Step Nine

Tie in a wing of chartruse bucktail.

Step Ten

Tie in cheeks of 3 hairs each, pink, blue and purple.

Step 11

Tie in jungle cock eyes.

Step 12

Wrap head and tie off.

Step 13

Run under hot tap water to bring it all together. Let dry.

Step 14

Finished Fly