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Saltwater Fly Patterns

Marabou - Estaz Fly

A popular "guide" fly in Southwest Florida (guide fly: easy to tie and readily accepted by a variety of species, even if poorly presented).

There are dozens of names and similar fly patterns, I was first introduced to a simple fly pattern using nothing more than Marabou and Estaz by Maryland fly shop owner Joe Bruce. 

Hook:  Standard saltwater fly hook 34007 or equitant; size 4 to 2/0

Thread:  Flat waxed Nylon, option to match or contrast

Eyes:  Optional; lead, bead-chain; size dependent on fishing conditions

Flash:  optional

Tail:  Marabou, color: tier's choice, chartreuse and white are good options

Body:  Estaz, color: match or contrast; chartreuse is hard to beat

Weed-guard:  Hard mono, 12 - 20 pound, depending on size of hook

notes:  tied in a variety of sizes and colors, this fly can be suggestive of a small baitfish or a shrimp.  If after your first cast, the marabou tail clumps together and looks like the end of a paintbrush; try crumpling the marabou fibers between your finger and thumb.  This "crumpling" will generally make the tail more lively.

Tied on a wide gap hook with little or no weight, the fly will ride hook point down.  Tied in this manner, this is a popular fly to fish just below the surface as a searching pattern over shallow grass flats.

Hot colors include:

• All White
• White and Chartreuse
• Tan
• All Chartreuse
• All Black
• Pink

This alternative version of a Marabou Estaz Fly is my favorite.  With marabou palmered in a dubbing loop, this fly is full of movement.  Tied on a 2/0 Owner Mosquito Hook, I am confident whether casting this fly to a laid-up trout or an 80 pound tarpon.  Fly pictured below is tied in Coral marabou with Root beer Estaz.

Materials

Hook:  Owner Mosquito hook size 2 to 2/0

Thread:  Flat waxed Nylon, option to match or contrast

Eyes:  Black bead-chain; just heavy enough for the fly to dance above the grass beds. 

Flash:  optional

Tail:  Marabou, color: tier's choice; take one or two turns of thread under tail to kick it up (Toad style)

Body:  Marabou fibers palmered forward in a dubbing loop.

Head:  Estaz.

Weed-guard:  Hard mono, 12 - 20 pound, depending on size of hook

notes:  This fly will ride hook point down, and is the most effective if weighted just enough to dance just above the grass.  Plamering marabou in a dubbing loop will produce a fly with pulsating 'life' even when fished very slow.  Anything that will eat a shrimp, crab, or a baitfish will eat this fly.  Fortunately, it is very easy to tie; as the palmered marabou will not fair well for long in a snook's jaw, or with a toothy bluefish or mackerel..

Harry Hall sefly
Guided Fly Fishing