Fly Tying Inventory
Eric's Lip Lettuce Variant
Eric Nickum's variant of the classic Lip Lettuce pattern, specifically adapted for targeting redfish in shallow water. This essential redfish fly imitates the small crabs, shrimp, and organisms that redfish root for in grass flats and oyster bars. The weighted design lands softly yet sinks quickly in the strike zone, while the marabou and flash provide enticing movement even when the fly sits still on the bottom.
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Materials
Saltwater hook (Gamakatsu SC15 or similar), sizes 2-6
Olive or tan 140 denier
Lead dumbbell eyes, sized to hook, painted or unpainted
Olive or tan marabou with Flashabou accents
Olive EP Dubbing Brush or similar
Copper or gold Flashabou
20lb mono weed guard loop
How to Tie the Eric's Lip Lettuce Variant
- 1
Step 1
Mount the saltwater hook and start thread. Tie in dumbbell eyes on top of the shank near the eye using figure-eight wraps, secured with super glue.
The dumbbell eyes flip the fly to ride hook-point up, essential for fishing grass flats.
- 2
Step 2
Wrap thread to the bend and tie in a clump of marabou for the tail, about 1.5x shank length. Add 4-6 strands of Flashabou on each side.
- 3
Step 3
Tie in the EP Dubbing Brush and wrap forward to create a full body, building up around the dumbbell eyes.
- 4
Step 4
Create a thread head in front of and behind the dumbbell eyes, filling any gaps.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in a mono weed guard loop from the hook eye, passing under the hook point and back to the eye.
The weed guard is critical for fishing oyster bars and grass flats without fouling.
- 6
Step 6
Whip finish, apply head cement, and trim the body to a crab-like profile — wider at the head and tapering toward the tail.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deQ0Rs243v8
Credit: Red's Fly Shop