Paul's March 2026 Fly of the Month

The Gamebird Jig Streamer

Hook:  Umpqua XC400BL Jig hook Size #8.

Bead:  4.6mm Slotted Tungsten Gold. 

Thread:  Red 6/0.

Tail:  Tuft of Black Marabou, Tuft of Brown Marabou & Tuft of Cream Marabou with sparse Gold Flash.

Body:  Tan Lazar Dub.

Throat:  Red Saddle Hackle Fibers or tuft of Red Marabou.

Collar:  Natural Pheasant Back Feathers or .

Hot Spot:  Red Thread behind the bead.

I love fishing with jigged streamers, and this one was one of my top flies this past fall.  Jigged streamers have been extremely productive for me.  I fish them often because it’s easy to convert my Euro-rig from fishing nymphs, to streamers. I simply cut off my nymph tippet at my micro ring, then tie on a heavier tippet to fish a jig streamer. 

To tie this fly begin by placing your bead on the hook and hook in the vice.  Weight is optional on this fly but I’ve found that the 4.6 slotted tungsten bead gets it down very fast.  Begin your thread behind the bead and secure the bead in place with a thread dam.  Now bring your thread down the hook shank to the bend.  Tie in a ‘tuft’ of Black Marabou.  You do not need an entire blood marabou feather. Just a tuft is enough, and it should extend approximately 2 ½ times the length of the hook shank beyond the bend.  Next, tie in a ‘tuft’ of Brown Marabou over the Black.  Next, tie in a ‘tuft’ of Cream Marabou over the Brown.  On each side of your tail tie in 1 strand of Gold Flash-a-bou. 

For the body of your fly create a dubbing loop at your tail tie-in point, then advance your thread behind the bead.  Create a ‘noodle’ in your dubbing loop of Tan Lazar Dub.  Usually, 3-4 bunches of material is enough to fill the dubbing loop.  Spin, then brush your loop creating a nice dubbing brush.  With your dubbing loop/brush, wrap the body all the way up to the bead.  After tying it off, brush your body out.  I use a stiff toothbrush to do this. 

You are now going to tie in your Red Throat which will be tied in on the underside of the fly.  Remember that this fly will fish inverted with the hook point up.  The Throat should extend ½ way down the hook shank.  You are now going to prepare your Pheasant Back Feather for your collar.  Hold the feather by it’s tip and stroke the feather fibers rearward.  Tie the feather in behind the Bead by it’s tip.  Take 2-3 wraps with your feather and tie it off.  Cut off the butt end.  Finally, with your Red Thread create a Red ‘Hot Spot’ behind the bead.  Tie it off and apply a drop of head cement.  

Umpqua Feather Merchants has a great video on how to tie this fly below:

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .