Rainbow Smelt - Single Hook

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Size
Hand Tied
in Canada
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Materials
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Description

The Rainbow Smelt is a baitfish streamer designed to imitate the slender profile, silver flash and subtle coloration of natural rainbow smelt.

Designed and tied in Canada for brook trout, landlocked salmon and other predatory gamefish.

Why This Pattern Works

The Rainbow Smelt combines a slim baitfish profile with a bright reflective body and natural contrasting tones that suggest the flash and movement of a fleeing smelt. Its flowing hairwing adds lifelike movement while maintaining the long, streamlined silhouette characteristic of this important cold-water forage fish.

Fishing Notes

Target Species
Landlocked Salmon
Forage Represented
Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) — primary forage imitation; also suggests other slender, silver pelagic baitfish.
How To Fish It
Fish the Rainbow Smelt with a steady strip or strip-pause retrieve around shorelines, points, drop-offs and other areas where smelt may concentrate. It can also be swung through current or trolled behind a floating or sinking line when covering larger lakes and ponds. Vary retrieve speed and depth until you locate actively feeding fish.

Frequently Asked Questions

What species are these streamers designed to catch?
DcTackle Single Hook Streamers are designed primarily for Brook Trout and Landlocked Salmon, with many patterns also effective for Lake Trout and other predatory freshwater species. Each pattern page includes specific target-species and forage information to help you choose the right fly
Are DcTackle streamers hand tied?
Yes. DcTackle Single Hook Streamers are hand tied with carefully selected fly tying materials and are designed for both durability and movement in the water. Many DcTackle patterns are developed around specific baitfish and forage profiles commonly encountered by trout and salmon anglers
How do I choose the right streamer pattern?
Consider the baitfish or forage present in the water you are fishing, along with the target species and conditions. DcTackle pattern pages include forage and fishing information where available to help you select an appropriate streamer. Carrying several contrasting patterns can also help you adapt as conditions and fish preferences change
What sizes are DcTackle Single Hook Streamers available in?
Most DcTackle Single Hook Streamers are offered in sizes selected to suit the pattern and its intended use. Available sizes are shown on each product page, allowing you to choose the size that best matches the forage, target species, and fishing conditions

Shop the Pattern

Everything you need to tie this pattern, matched to the exact materials used.

Pattern Recipe

HW-014 · Rainbow Smelt - Single Hook

Hook
Partridge Heritage Streamer 9X
Thread
Semperfli 8/0 Classic Black Thread
Underbody
White Antron
Body
Silver Mylar Tubing, approx. 3-4 mm
Rear Body Tie-Down / Butt
Fluorescent Pink UTC 140 Thread — rear body tie-down opposite hook point
Tail
Frayed Silver Mylar Tubing — approx. one hook-gap past bend
Underbelly
White Finn Raccoon — sparse
Throat
Red Ice Dub
Wing — Layer 1
Purple Nayat (Snowrunner)
Wing — Flash
Purple Krinkle Mirror Flash over Layer 1; Pink Krinkle Mirror Flash over Layer 2 — each 3 strands folded to 6
Wing — Layer 2
Baby Pink Nayat (Snowrunner)
Dorsal Topping
Blue Cashmere Goat + 3 Peacock Eye Herl + Bright Rainbow Holographic Flashabou
Eyes
Silver with Black Pupil Stick-On Eye 3/32 in — both sides
Head / Finish
Build black head → apply eyes → UV resin → Sally Hansen

Pattern Notes

1. Body Tubing — Durability

After the body tubing has been wrapped and secured, apply a thin coat of clear head cement and allow it to dry completely before proceeding. This reinforces the tubing and produces a more durable body structure.

2. Securing the Body Tubing

After securing the tubing to the hook shank with tying thread, apply a small drop of CA (cyanoacrylate) glue to the tie-down wraps. This helps prevent the tubing from rotating around the hook shank as subsequent materials are applied.

3. Nayat Hair Wing — Head Construction

Taper-cut the butt ends of successive Nayat Hair wing layers before securing them. This helps build a smooth, progressively tapered head while providing a firm, even foundation for the stick-on eyes.

4. Head Finish — Protective Topcoat

After the UV resin has been fully cured, apply a final thin coat of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. This preserves the glossy appearance of the UV-finished head while adding a durable protective topcoat.

5. Nayat Hair Wing — Preparation

Before tying in the Nayat Hair, comb out the underfur and straighten the remaining fibres using a few gentle passes with a steam iron. Lightly dampen the hair patch before applying steam to help relax and straighten the fibres.

Some Nayat Hair patches may be more difficult to straighten than others. This variation is a normal characteristic of the natural material and may require additional preparation to achieve the desired wing profile.

Explore 12 Hairwing Streamer Patterns

Discover 12 single-hook hairwing streamer patterns in our free downloadable guide, complete with detailed tying recipes, material selections, and practical construction notes from the DcTackle tying bench.

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