The Turck Tarantula comes in many flavors. Here are some of the best fly-tying patterns. Simply choose your favorite recipe. Also reference the YouTube video below.
Turck Tarantula (the original)
Hook: Tiemco 5262 or Dai-Riki 710, sizes 4-14
Thread: 3/0 Tan
Tail: Amherst Pheasant tippets
Body: Hare’s mask rabbit fur
Wing: White calftail topped with pearlescent Accent or Krystal Flash
Collar: Natural deer hair
Legs: DBL strand of brown rubber, medium
Head: Natural deer hair spun and clipped
Tying Tips
- For extra durability cover hook shank with thread
- Tail length = hoop gap width
- “Spikey” body with lots of guard hairs is best
- Wing length extends to tip of tail
- IMPORTANT: Collar is tied in separately from head! Imagine tying an Elk Hair Caddis wing onto the top of the fly and you’ve got it. As with the Elk Hair Caddis wing, don’t wrap thread over the butts of the collar hairs.
- The rubber legs are tied in at the precise location that the collar is tied in at
- The head hair is tied on in two separate clumps. After spinning both clumps, whip finish and trim to shape as shown in photo…flat on bottom, tapering from front to back on top and both sides
Tips for Fishing the Turck Tarantula
- While a dead drift still may be the single best presentation method, the Tarantula is often very effective when twitched, skated or stripped underwater.
- The Golden Tarantula is a good fly pattern for imitating stoneflies and grasshoppers.
- Despite the beliefs of some, the Tarantula can be great in slow glassy water as well as stillwater fisheries like lakes and ponds
- The Tarantula is incredibly versatile and has been used to catch, not only all species of trout, but largemouth and smallmouth bass, channel catfish, grass carp, perch, seatrout, panfish and even northern pike
- Read Tip #1 again
Golden Tarantula
Hook: Tiemco 5262 or Dai-Riki 710, sizes 4-14
Thread: 3/0 Tan
Tail: Golden Pheasant tippets
Body: 50/50 mix of hare’s mask and yellow rabbit fur
Wing: White calftail topped with pearlescent Krystal Flash
Collar: Natural deer hair
Legs: DBL strand of brown rubber, medium
Head: Golden or light brown deer hair spun and clipped
The above tying and fishing tips also apply to the Golden Tarantula.
