"The majority of forage fish found in flowing or still waters are quite small. I believe that to optimize the success of streamer fishing, a fly fisher must make some adjustments to their typical streamer selection.
A tapered head and large eyes are perhaps the most prominent feature of the shiners, chubs, dace and other species that this fly can imitate. The Fish Mask and Living Eyes provide a perfect representation of these. They also save valuable tying time at the vise compared to creating heads with epoxies and glues.
Equally as important to the effectiveness of this pattern are the pine squirrel strips. The mottled color of the fur provides an accurate imitation of scales and fins of the naturals.
I’ve never heard a fly fisher complain about catching more fish or big fish. When properly presented, the Masked Bandit will lead to both of these outcomes.
While smaller than its typical streamer companions, this pattern is more than capable of producing big results."
- Signature Tyer Bob Reece
