Chicabou, Marabou, & Matukas

fly fishing for panfish

Tying with Soft Hackle with Chickabou

Matuka Feathers

This tying style originated in New Zealand. The flies were known as "mutuku flies", named after the feathers from the Matuku Bittern which were originally used along with Kiwi feathers. Today both these birds are endangered and no longer available.

Somehow, over time, the name changed to "matuka". The best feathers for tying this style of fly are found on the breast of dry fly roosters. The feathers are long and wide with a round tip. The web is dense and extends to the edge of each feather.

Chickabou

The best way to describe these feathes is that they are mini marabou. They come from the same place on a chicken that marabou is found on a turkey. The fibers are soft and fluffy like marabou, however, the feather stem is a bit longer and stiffer.

The variety of colors and patterns are useful for everything from coldwater to saltwater patterns. Dyed grizzly colors make nice buggers, natural colors can be used as a sub to match a natural feather such as a bittern, and the speckled pattern on the laced birds has an especially buggy look.

 

		Earth Tones and Natural Colors
		$15For those of you who have met me a a show, this is the same high quality hackle at the same great price! wild type on white on grizzly laced brahma Wild Type wild type cream ginger dark tan brown Brown Dunns brown dunn chocolate sandy dunn pwd tan dunn honey Grey Dunns grey dunn charcoal lt grey ashy silver rusty dunn   black white brown coachman ginger tan olive dk olive lt olive golden burgandy claret heron grey steel blue peacock green shrimp orange color color brown march brown coachman olive dk olive lt olive g olive peacock claret burgandy dunn steel blue black white brown coachman ginger tan     natural olive dk olive golden shrimp lime brown peacock claret burgandy dunn steel blue   natural olive golden olive brown golden brown straw     dunn charcoal pwd brown speckled mottled grey dark medium variant light tan

		Bright Colors
		$15The assortment is always changing, but just give me a call and I'll be glad to hand pick what you're looking for. on white on grizzlies on laced coq de leon   red yellow orange chartruese y chart green purple lavender pink hot pink kingfisher silver doctor   red yellow orange chartruese y chart green purple lavender pink hot pink kingfisher silver doctor     red yellow orange chartruese y chart green purple lavender pink hot pink kingfisher silver doctor   red yellow orange chartruese purple olive

Tying with Blood Quill Marabou

Even though Marabou is a feather from a turkey, I chose to include it here. Like chickabou, marabou is collected from the bird right where you put the stuffing in the turkey. These are the softest, fuffiest feathers on the bird.

It's uses are similar to chicabou, however, the fibers are much longer. The best marabou are the blood quills. These are feathers that have just grown in, so they are fresh and free of any wear. These long fibers are commonly used for large hackles on spey flies as well as collars on leech patterns.

Tied in as a tail on a wooly bugger, the marabou breathes life into the fly. The long soft fibers can also be used to wrap incredibaly lifelike fly bodies. Another popular use for marabou is to tie it in as a wing on a streamer pattern. The fluid motion in the water in unmatched by any new fangled sythetic!

 

		Marabou
		I still need to get these pictures taken, in the mean time, if you're looking for marabou just give me a call. earth tones bright colors other fly patterns   red yellow orange chartruese y chart green purple lavender pink hot pink kingfisher silver doctor     red yellow orange chartruese y chart green purple lavender pink hot pink kingfisher silver doctor     purple lavender pink hot pink kingfisher silver doctor     I'm looking for pictures of flies and the recipies you used to tie them. Please give me a call or email me for more information. Thanks!