IllustrationSweeney Todd
LureWhen to use
A black-bodied reservoir lure with a flash of magenta/pink at the throat, originally intended for stocked rainbows and now also a proven sea trout and fry-time brown trout lure; fished on a floating or intermediate line with a steady figure-of-eight or short strips, especially after dark for sea trout.
Imitates
Attractor lure — a fancy pattern, not a direct imitation, though its dark silhouette can suggest a small fish.
Team position
Single fly or point lure; also fished on the dropper for sea trout.
Best methods
Dressing
- Hook
- long-shank lure hook, #8–10
- Thread
- black
- Body
- black seal's-fur-style dubbing or black floss, with a band of magenta/fluorescent pink floss or wool at the shoulder
- Rib
- oval silver tinsel
- Hackle
- magenta or claret hackle fibres at the throat
- Wing
- black squirrel tail or bucktail
- Head
- black thread head
Origin credited to Dick Walker as a reservoir rainbow-trout lure (some retail sources instead credit Bob Church — sources disagree); the pink/magenta throat flash is the fly's signature feature regardless of dresser.
Pairs with
Your box is saved on this device for now — sign-in and cross-device sync arrive with accounts.