Bodkin / Patterns

Atherton Light

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Barbless nymph, #8-14
  • Thread Gold or yellow 70 denier UTC

Materials

  • Hungarian partridge Natural or dun hungarian partridge (1 small feather (hackle, tied first))
  • Mallard flank Dyed wood duck (10-12 fibers (tail))
  • French oval tinsel Gold, medium french oval tinsel (1 length (rib))
  • Rabbit or synthetic dubbing Cream laser dub (Body and thorax)
  • Goose or duck quill slip Dyed yellow/gold goose or duck quill slip (1 slip (wingcase))

How to tie it

  1. Lay a short thread base at the front, on this fly the hackle goes on first.
  2. Prepare a partridge feather with a small notched tie-in point; tie it in near the eye and wrap 3 turns, sweeping fibers back each turn; secure without trapping fibers and trim.
  3. Pull the hackle fibers FORWARD over the eye and trap them there with a couple of wraps. They stay parked out of the way until the end.
  4. Take the thread to the bend and tie in 10-12 wood-duck-colored mallard flank fibers, about one hook gap long, angled slightly downward; trim the butts.
  5. Catch in medium gold oval tinsel at a 45-degree angle and bind it back to the bend.
  6. Wax the thread and dub a fairly tight noodle of cream rabbit; take one wrap behind the rib tie-in to hide it, then dub a tapered body two-thirds of the way up the shank.
  7. Counter-wrap the tinsel rib in 4-5 turns and snip it off (soft tinsel won't helicopter).
  8. Tie in a yellow-dyed goose or duck slip, a bit under one hook gap wide, flat on top for the wingcase.
  9. Dub a slightly thicker thorax, then pull the wingcase over, settle it, lock it with a wrap in front and behind, and snip close.
  10. Preen the parked hackle fibers back around the sides, build a neat gold thread head over their bases, whip finish, and cement.

Tying videos

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