I’ve been messing around with Squid Patterns the last couple weeks, mainly focused on GT versions for an upcoming trip in March 2018… But after a weekend up at Breede recently, and getting into a few Kob on conventional topwater with JD, whilst the other lads knocked a few on fly, I got to thinking about tying up a squid pattern for Kob, cause in my mind, everything eats a squid, and squid flies have always intrigued me…
I basically wanted a pattern that rode hook point up, could be fished on a 9 or 10 weight, and had plenty of movement to try mimic a Squid/Cuttelfish, and captured most of the key aspects of these amazing creatures…Put it together with Kob in mind, but reckon it should do the trick on anything that snacks on Squid… pretty sure a Cape Yellowtail wouldn’t pass one of these up, given the chance..
Its a fairly long tying process, but pretty simple… This Kob Kalamari got a test swim in the pool, and looks pretty damn good.. I needs to be put in front of some fish to test its true worth, but thought I’d put up the SBS I did anyway..
Original versions were tied in a more “natural” color palette… decided to try a more “tropical” version for the SBS… There are a ton of pics, so I’m not gonna narrate every point, but you should get the idea…
Materials as follows:
Hook: Gama SL12S size 4/0
Thread: I like really strong threads, like Nano or GSP… cause I’m a ham fisted bugger.. Ran out of GSP, so used 140 Denier for this one I think..
Articulated Shank: 55mm Fish Skull
Rubber Legs: Chicone Crusher legs and Regular Silly Legs
Tentacles: Ostrich
Body Material: Felting Wool and SF Blend
Tubing: Flash Flexo
Resin: Solarez Flex and Ultra Thin Bone Dry
Beads: Lumo Tungsten
Here goes:
*** NOTE – I OVER DRESSED THIS PATTERN QUITE A BIT, AND I NEEDED TO BRUSH OUT AND REMOVE ALOT OF THE FELTING WOOL IN THE END. RATHER TIE IN SPARSER THAN I HAVE ON THIS DEMO.
*** I TIED THE LEGS IN THE WRONG LENGTH. ONE SIDE SHOULD BE MUCH LONGER, WITH THE SHORTER SIDE FOLDED BACK IN. YOU WANT THE TWO LONG ONES STICKING OUT BACK ALOT FURTHER THAN THE REST OF THE TENTACLES
IF YOU HAVE SOME GOOD QUALITY SKINNY HACKLES TO USE AT THIS POINT, THEY WOULD BE A GOOD SUBSTITUTE/ADDITION FOR THE TENTACLES IN MY OPINION.. I ONLY HAD SHITTY HACKLE SON HAND SO PREFERRED TO GO WITHOUT.. GRIZZLY HACKLES WOULD BE A GOOD OPTION I RECKON.. 
FELTING WOOL
ALL TIE INS ARE TIED IN SECTIONS THEN REVERSED “HOLLOW TIE” STYLE
USE YOUR FLEA BRUSH OFTEN TO COMB BACK THE FIBRES BETWEEN TIES.. 
COMPLETED HEAD/TENTACLES SECTION
AT THIS POINT YOU NEED TO SPEND A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME BRUSHING EVERYTHING OUT. AS MENTIONED I DRESSED THIS VERSION TOO HEAVILY FOR MY TASTES, SO I NEEDED TO BRUSH AND CLEAR OUT ALOT OF MATERIAL.. STILL NOT 100% HAPPY WITH IT, SO BE CAREFUL, LIKE MOST PATTERNS, LESS IS MORE.
YOU CAN THEN APPLY A LIGHT COATING OF SOLAREZ UV FLEX OR SIMILAR, USING YOUR FINGERTIPS IN SMALL AMOUNTS TO SMOOTH BACK OVER THE “TUBE” OF THE SQUID.. THIS HELPS KEEP THE SHAPE YOU WANT, AS WELL AS THE FELTING FIBRES IN PLACE AND PREVENT WRAPPING. YOU CAN THEN USE MARKER PENS TO COLOUR IT UP AS YOU WANT.
I TIED ANOTHER ONE IN THE TRADITIONAL COLOURS AFTER THE TROPIC VERSION, USING LESS MATERIALS AND MUCH PREFER IT.. ALTHOUGH I THINK I WAS A LITTLE HEAVY ON THE UV FLEX …
Heres a little vid of the pattern in the pool:
Hope the above made some sense.. excuse the messy tying desk.. but I’m not Pete! 🙂
