Italian Job
Italian Job
This freshwater streamer got its inspiration from the saltwater Abel Anchovy fly. By utilizing arctic fox, Finnish raccoon and rabbit fur this pattern lands softly and looks very alive, even when stripped slowly.

Designed originally for targeting trout, by modifying the hook type it becomes an effective pattern for catching a variety of fresh and saltwater species.

This fly can be tied in a wide assortment of colour combinations, in fact you are really only limited by your imagination. By simply changing the material colours this fly can become a ‘hatch matching’ baitfish pattern.

Materials
Hook: Tiemco TMC 9395 - size 6
Thread: Uni Thread 8/0 – white and UTC Ultra 140 – watery olive
Body: Saltwater Flashabou - pearl
Rib: UTC Ultra wire, medium - silver   
Belly: Arctic fox fur - white
Gills: Rabbit fur – red
Flash: Flashabou mirage - opal   
Back: Finnish raccoon – lt. olive
Head: Fish Skull Fish Mask #4
Eyes: Holographic eyes 1/8” – silver
Adhesive: Liquid Fusion glue, Gorilla super glue - gel and Loon Outdoors UV clear fly finish - flow

Tying Instructions
Step 1. Insert the hook in the vise and attach the white thread. Create a tie-in point with several thread wraps.
Step 2. Tie in a piece of saltwater flashabou and overwrap the material back to the bend of the hook. Return wrap the thread to the tie-in point.
Step 3. Tie in a piece of silver wire and overwrap the material back to the bend of the hook. Return wrap the thread to the tie-in point.
Step 4. Palmer wrap the saltwater flashabou forward using touching wraps to create a smooth body.  Tie off the material at the tie-in point and clip off.
Step 5.  Palmer wrap the silver wire forward over the saltwater flashabou body using evenly spaced spirally wraps. 
Step 6. Tie off the material at the tie-in point and clip off using wire cutters.
Step 7. Invert the hook in the vise (if your vise rotates, then rotate 180º). Select a pencil diameter hank of white arctic fox hair and trim from the hide. Clean out some of the underfur and all of the stiff guard hairs; tie it down at the tie-in point. Make sure that the hair evenly covers the entire underside of the hook.
Step 8.Trim a match stick diameter hank of red rabbit fur from the hide. Tie the fur in at the tie-in point so that it extends slightly past the point of the hook.
Step 9.  Again, invert the hook in the vise (if your vise rotates, then rotate). Select three strands of flashabou mirage and then fold them over and cut them to create 6 strands. Wrap these 6 strands around the thread at the mid-point of the flashabou creating 12 strands in total. Tie the flashabou mirage in at the tie-in point making sure that all of the strands lie parallel to the hook shank. Trim the strands off unevenly approximately 0.25 cm past the arctic fox fur.
Step 10. Select a pencil diameter hank of light green Finnish raccoon fur and trim from the hide. Clean out some of the underfur and all of the stiff guard hairs; tie it down at the tie in point. Make sure that the hair evenly covers the entire topside of the hook and is the same length as the arctic fox fur belly.
Step 11.  Build up a nicely tapered thread head, whip finish and cut the thread off.
Step 12. Test fit the Fish Mask making sure that it will fit over the thread head with half a hook eye’s length between the eye and the mask.
Step 13. Using a bodkin apply an even coat of Liquid Fusion glue to the thread head. Make sure not to get any glue into the fur. Often wetting the fur prior to applying the glue helps to manage the fur and keep it out of the glue.
Step 14. Insert the Fish Mask over the thread head/glue. Attach the watery olive coloured thread and wrap a small thread dam between the front of the Fish Mask and the eye of the hook.
Step 15. Whip finish and cut the thread off.  Make sure the Fish Mask is aligned properly with the hook.
Step 16. Using a bodkin apply a small drop of Gorilla super glue gel in the centre of each of the Fish Mask orbits.
Step 17. Carefully place a holographic eye into each drop of super glue gel. Position and seat the eyes flush to the Fish Mask using the blunt end of a bodkin.
Step 18. Coat the thread dam with Loon Outdoors UV clear fly finish - flow.
Your Italian Job is now complete and you are ready to head out On The Water!

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