Body Amber seal (or substitute) mixed with belly fur from a red fox
Wingcase Pheasant tail fibers
Legs Partridge
How to tie it
Lay a base of the rusty brown thread on the 2x long nymph hook all the way to the start of the bend.
Tail: just three Pheasant tail fibers, long but sparse. If they cling together, twist them between your fingers to break them up. Bind them in right on top of the shank and snip the butts.
Catch the rib in at the FRONT of the shank and bind it back along the top; the thick vinyl rib doubles as a flat underbody. Stop one turn short of the tail so a wrap of dubbing can sit behind the rib.
Wax the thread and dub the Body blend of amber seal and red fox belly fur, mixed about half and half. Seal dubs poorly, so it takes a couple of noodles to reach the front; build a little taper if you can, but the thorax will give the profile anyway. Trim the seal fibers that go everywhere.
Spiral the rib forward in open turns and catch it off with a couple of wraps. Trim the vinyl at the front on an angle to minimise the step-down, then a few extra wraps to smooth it.
Wingcase: 10-12 Pheasant tail fibers tied in butts-forward at the front of the body. Before the last wraps, flip them back to check they cover enough width, then bury the butts under thread.
Legs: a small Partridge feather. Pull a V-notch forward to make a tie-in point and bind it flat on top with the tip pointing forward over the eye. Snip the stem.
Wax again and dub a thicker noodle of the same blend for the thorax, a fatter noodle than the body's.
Fold the Partridge back over the thorax and pluck fibers out until the leg count looks right. Bind the tip on top, then take the thread back a little so the wingcase tie-off lands where you want it.
Pull the Pheasant tail wingcase over; it pushes the legs out to the sides. A couple of tight wraps; if it sits crooked, one yank to straighten it and move on. Snip close, keeping clear of the eye.
Build a head just big enough to take a drop of head cement, whip finish, cement. Trim any seal fibers sticking out.