Rat a Tat flatwing « currentseams.com

I’ve been eyeballing the RLS Rat a Tat in the back of A Perfect Fish for about as long as I’ve owned the book. At first I didn’t really know what to make of this pattern. Over the years, its energy grew on me. Finally, this winter, I found the saddles I needed to tie it. Ken described the Rat a Tat’s genesis this way: “That’s a fly I designed just to irritate fish. It’s the kind of a fly that will get a reaction strike.”

I’ll be sure to hold on tight.

Ken once told me that he sometimes includes yellow elements in a fly to indicate the presence of fat, so this should make a fine greasy baitfish pattern (think herring or menhaden). Note how naturally the jungle cock nail integrates with the random black of the grizzly. Lots of magic going on here.

Ken Abrames’ R.L.S. Rat a Tat. This tie is about 11″ long.

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Hook: Eagle Claw 253

Thread: Chartreuse 6/0

Platform: Black

Pillow: Chartreuse dubbing

Support: Chartreuse neck hackle

Tail: First, a yellow grizzly saddle, second, a chartreuse saddle, third, 2 red Flashabou, fourth, a turquoise grizzly saddle, fifth, a light blue saddle, sixth, 2 gold Flashabou, seventh, yellow grizzly saddle, eighth, a ginger saddle, ninth, 2 emerald green Flashabou, tenth, a fluorescent green grizzly saddle, eleventh, 2 red Flashabou, twelfth, a yellow grizzly saddle

Body: Gold braid

Collar: Bucktail, ginger, bottom and both sides.

Wing: Bucktail, yellow

Cheeks: Bucktail, 3 hairs each turquoise, orange, chartreuse, dark blue and emerald green

Topping: Seven strands of peacock here

Eyes: Jungle cock

A closer look at the zebra-like tail section reveals great gobs of grizzly goodness.

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