Bodkin / Patterns

Adams Special

Dry Fly · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Standard-length dry fly, #16
  • Thread Adams gray (dun) 14/0

Materials

  • Z-lon Mayfly brown (1 length (trailing shuck))
  • Bug Legs (Fly Tyer's Dungeon) Dun rubber legs (1 length (body))
  • Congo Hair (Fly Tyer's Dungeon) White uni stretch (1 clump (wing post))
  • Rooster hackle Brown and grizzly hackle (1 feather each (collar))

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread at the 66% point of the shank (two-thirds toward the eye) and secure it.
  2. Tie in a length of Z-lon and wrap back to the bend for the trailing shuck; trim the shuck to about one shank-length long.
  3. Wrap the thread up and down the shank to build a slightly tapered underbody.
  4. Tie in the dun Bug Legs body material at the two-thirds point, wrap thread back over it under tension, then bring the thread back to the two-thirds point.
  5. Wrap the Bug Legs forward under tension in touching turns to the two-thirds point; tie down and trim the excess.
  6. Tie in a length of white Congo hair with tight wraps, lift it upright, and build a thread dam in front so it stands up, leaving space for the hackle wraps; trim the butt ends, leaving a small tuft.
  7. Tie in one brown and one grizzly hackle together at the wing.
  8. Wrap both hackles at the same time: one full turn behind the wing and one full turn in front; secure with thread.
  9. Trim off the hackle tips, secure with a couple of half-hitch knots, and cut the thread.
  10. Stand the wing up and trim it so it sits just slightly above the hackle.

Tying videos

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