Glove Squid Other Saltwater Hook : Mustad 34011 or equivalent Size 6 - 3/0. Thread : White. Beak : White wool. Tentacles : White hackles long & thin. Eyes : Dumbbell stemmed dolls eyes black on white. Underbody : Palmered Grizzle hackle. Overbody : Finger tip of a plain rubber glove. For small versions (size 6) try water bomb balloons, any white long cylinder type balloon will do, or just get smaller sized gloves. Opaque ones work well but are not as stiff as the rubber ones.
Tying Instructions 1) Tie thread behind hook eye 2) Advance thread to hook bend 3) Tie in two of the long thin hackles at start of hook bend 4) Tie in an end of the wool at hackle tie in point 5) Form a woolen lump over the tie in point of the first two hackles till three to four times hook shank diameter 6) Tie in a little further up the hook shank the next 8 medium length hackles spacing around the hook shank evenly - dull side out and thus the tip curving outwards (hopefully) 7) Hold the hackles in place wrap the thread progressively towards the wool lump (beak) 8) Winding thread right up to the lump - this causes the hackles to flare outwards even more 9) Tie in dumbbell stemmed dolls eyes right against the woolen lump and hackles 10) Tie in the butt end of a long grizzle cock neck hackle right behind the eyes (use a couple if you have to) (hackle barbules length equal to width of a finger from a rubber glove) 11) Advance thread to hook eye 12) Palmer closely the length of the hook shank- tie off. 13) Add a another lump of wool at hook eye -tie of wool and thread 14) Cut off a finger off a standard rubber glove as long as possible 15) Trim finger to the length of hook eye to beak (hackle tie in point) or just past. 16) On each side of the rubber finger cut a "V" the length of the beak to the eyes 17) Trim palmered grizzle hackle to rubber finger width 18) Add some 'Liquid Nails' glue to the woolen lump at hook eye - hook eye side 19) Punch a very small hole (half hook shank diameter) in the end of the rubber finger 20) Slide and stretch over hook eye, push against woolen lump, 21) Place pre-cut 'V' into dumbbell bar of eyes, with longer flap over eyes and beak 22) Ensure good contact with 'Liquid Nails' glue 23) Leave to dry 24 hours.
Fly Notes I recently got a great book about innovative saltwater flies. In it was the ancestor of this pattern. Great book for anyone wanting a book with some beautiful (but still effective and productive) flies. "Innovative Saltwater Flies" Bob Verda, p26 for the fly I butchered to make this one.
Fishing Notes Floating line, sink tip or intermediate even a sinking line all can be used. Whatever the rig you must get the fly to where the fish are holding. Watch for the take on the pause between strips of fly line. Make the fly swim like a squid, causing the flared hackle tentacles to lose and open. Target species include Snapper, Bream, trevally, flathead, Mulloway, Kingfish, Cobia, tuna and others.
Location Notes Weed beds, offshore structures jetties rock bars anywhere a squid would hang out and the predators that eat them.
Prey Notes Squid representation.
Tier Richard Carter

|   AFS Home   |   Swaps   |   Fly Box   |   Search   |