🌊🐢 I’m so excited about this one! Back in high school I even did my senior project on sea turtle conservation (and I just found it—check out my story for a fun trip down memory lane and a peek at my process).

I’ve had lots of requests for a sea turtle hatchling fly pattern—especially from Australia and nearby waters—since big opportunistic predatory fish will snatch them right off the surface. While not a main food source, there’s enough evidence of hatchling sea turtle predation by sport fish to make this worthwhile. After experimenting, I finally found a hook from Fulling Mill that works perfectly, and I’m stoked to share the first version with you!

My take is a Hawksbill sea turtle hatchling, but this pattern is super versatile:

• Want a semiaquatic turtle? Add legs and toes instead of fins.
• Want a different subspecies? Play with colors—sky’s the limit!
• Want a simple fishable version? Cut it out in black, brown, or green.

This is a first iteration, and I’d love your feedback as I refine it. If you tie one up, please tag me or email me so I can admire your work. In the meantime, Alex and I are looking forward to seeing how it works for snook on the beach (and maybe a freshwater version for tarpon in the river). 💙

Huge thanks to Upavon Flyfishing for the Gunville Foam Cutters and block foam! I punched the foam out by hand and used the core in a different way than intended—but these cutters double as drill bits and make amazing foam bodies for poppers, emergers, detached bodies, and more.

Fly: Sea Turtle
Tied by: Erin Hyde
Originated by: Erin Hyde & Alex Burnett
Target Species: Large opportunistic saltwater and freshwater predatory fish
Vise: Renzetti Traveler (blue, right hand – also comes in a left-hand configuration)