Fly Tying Inventory
Banda Lechuga
Cheech fished this jig streamer on a float down the Collon Cura in Northern Patagonia, a river with rainbow trout, perca and very large brown trout that feed on the minnows running upriver in early fall. The name means Lettuce Band and came from the guides, after algae kept fouling flies on that trip. A TMC 708 keel hook carries a fox tail, a gold Ripple Ice Dub body and a spun collar of ostrich marabou and dubbing. Cheech rigged it on an 8-foot leader with a dropper tag about 4 feet down. Tied here on a size 6 hook.
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Materials
Danville Flat Waxed Nylon Thread, 140 denier, red
Red · 140 denier
Firehole Stones Plated Slotted Tungsten Beads, copper, 4.5mm (or Plummeting Tungsten Beads, gold, 3/16 inch)
Copper · 4.5mm
Ostrich Marabou, ginger (or tan)
Ginger
How to Tie the Banda Lechuga
- 1
Step 1
Slide the slotted bead onto the hook, seat it at the eye and set the hook in the vise.
- 2
Step 2
Start the red thread behind the bead and lay a base along the straight part of the shank.
- 3
Step 3
Wrap a short section of .020 lead wire on the shank, push it up against the bead and cover it with thread.
- 4
Step 4
Cut a clump of red fox hair from the patch and tie it in at the rear of the straight part of the shank for the tail. Bind down the butts and trim any excess.
- 5
Step 5
Form a dubbing loop at the base of the tail, add gold Ripple Ice Dub and spin it into a rope.
- 6
Step 6
Wrap the rope forward to form the body, leaving room behind the bead for the collar. Tie it off and trim the excess.
- 7
Step 7
On a clean work surface, spread a thin layer of gold and mother of pearl Ripple Ice Dub.
- 8
Step 8
Pull fibers from the ostrich marabou plume and lay them over the dubbing.
- 9
Step 9
Pick up the combined material with a dubbing-loop tweezer or clip so it stays in a thin, even layer.
- 10
Step 10
Form a thread loop at the front of the body, place the material in the loop and spin it into a rope.
- 11
Step 11
Stroke the fibers back and wrap the rope forward to the bead as a collar. Tie it off and trim the excess.
- 12
Step 12
Whip finish behind the bead and cut the thread. Pick out any trapped fibers with a bodkin.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-DkNWTgxpM
Credit: Cheech / Fly Fish Food