I have found that the Matuka, if fished in fast water, is one of the most productive streamers I have in my box. I use it on the Jordan in a section where there are riffles. When fished cross current, it is deadly as the streamer straightens. There are several variations in color
These flies are not easy to tie because of putting four hen hackle feathers together for the top and tail of the fly, but once you get comfortable matching the feathers, it becomes easier.
Recipe:
Hook: Mustad 9672 or Mustad 38941
Size: 2 – 10
Thread: Match Yarn Color
Rib: Fine Oval Gold Tinsel
Body: Red, Olive, Gray or Yellow
Wing: 4 Hen Hackles – Badger for Red Body / Olive for Olive Body / Grizzly for Gray body/ Furnace for Yellow Body
Hackle: To Match Wing
Directions: The only difficult step to tying this fly is selecting 4 hen hackles that match. Everything else is straight forward. Tie in the yarn and tinsel behind the eye and wrap the thread back to the bend. Leave 4 inches of thread hanging and wrap the tying thread forward to just behind the eye. Wrap the yarn toward the eye, leaving enough space for the hackle. (this should result in a cigar shaped body). Match the 4 hen hackle feathers and trim off the bottom half of the feather so the feather sits on tip of the fly from the eye to the bend. The feathers should extend beyond the bend to form the tail. Tie the feather in at the bend with the 4 inches of thread you left and spiral it forward to create gaps in the feather and tie both the thread and hackle in just behind the eye. It should look like a dorsal fin that extends from the eye beyond the bend. Bring the gold tinsel forward following the spiral path set with the thread and tie off. Behind the eye tie in the hackle, wrap three or four turns and tie off forming a head.
Experiment with body colors and match the wing to the color. A red body uses a furnace wing; a gray body uses a grizzly wing; a yellow body uses a dark wing.
This is my go to fly when everything else fails.