The Magic of Marabou

The fly bounced across the riverbed. It slipped and slither through the water. The angler, current, and the fly itself brought it to life, so much so, that a 3lb smallie threw caution to the wind and inhaled the fly!

It’s adrenaline pumping moments like these that have made me so fond of Marabou Flies. Marabou feathers originally came from huge African marabou storks, now on the CITES watch list. Nowadays, marabou comes from white domestic turkeys, some from chickens.

There is no material quite like Marabou. It has many appealing qualities. Available in a wide range of colors to meet all types of water clarity, it can be used as either an imitator or an attractor. It catches steelhead, bass, trout, pike, panfish, salmon ...you name it!

Marabou’s real attraction is movement. No material moves in the water quite like Marabou. Just strip it straight ahead of you…..it will slip and slither, it will undulate and dance, it breathes like it is alive in the water.

One of the main benefits of Marabou is your ability to keep it in the strike zone longer. It’s natural movement allows you to fish this fly SLOW! This lets you keep it in the sweet spot longer, driving the fish crazy.

Think Marabou flies are just for freshwater fish, think again! Laying a marabou fly on the bottom is deadly on redfish. Smart saltwater anglers also use them for tarpon, snook, bonefish and permit.

Knowledgeable fishermen realize the merits of marabou because the versatility of this fly is really unmatched. They have fly boxes full of a variety of colors and patterns. Whatever your flavor preference, they produce!