Bodkin / Patterns

Atherton #1

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook 1x-long dry fly, barbless, #12-16
  • Thread Tan or cream 8/0 or 70 denier

Materials

  • Hackle tips Light dun hackle (2 (wings))
  • Hackle fibers Light dun hackle fibers or microfibbets (1 bunch (tail))
  • Oval tinsel Gold, small (1 length (rib))
  • Fox underfur dubbing Pale cream fox underfur dubbing (1 thin noodle (body))
  • Rooster hackle Light cree, or light ginger + grizzly mixed (2 feathers)

How to tie it

  1. Start tan thread and align two light dun hackle tips; tie them in at about the 65% point, length equal to or slightly longer than the hackle will be (hackle runs long on this fly. 1.5 to 2 hook gaps).
  2. Prop the wings upright with a thread dam, trim any barbs poking forward, and put a couple of X-wraps between the tips to splay them semi-spent.
  3. Tie in a long tail of light dun hackle fibers at the bend, Catskill-style long; trim the butts.
  4. Catch in small oval gold tinsel slightly behind the wings and bind it back, keeping the body thin.
  5. Wax the thread and dub a thin noodle of pale cream fox underfur; wrap a slim, slightly fuzzy body from the tail up to behind the wings.
  6. Rib the body with about four turns of the oval gold tinsel; tie off.
  7. Tie in one grizzly and one light ginger hackle behind the wings and snip the stems.
  8. Wrap the grizzly first (two turns behind the wings, two in front) and tie off.
  9. Wrap the light ginger through it the same way for a bushy mixed hackle; tie off and trim.
  10. Sweep everything back from the eye, whip finish, and trim or singe any trapped fibers.

Tying videos

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