Bodkin / Patterns

Better Brassie

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 2 versions

Note: Contested against a published dressing: 'Better Brassie' is a specific Fly Fish Food pattern and its published dressing is NOT what we store: black-nickel bead, silver + black wire body, snowshoe rabbit dubbing thorax. Our stored dressing (copper tungsten bead, fine copper wire body, peacock herl thorax, sizes 14-20, black thread) is… Source: Fly Fish Food — "Better Brassie" tying tutorial — https://www.flyfishfood.com/blogs/fly-tying-tutorials/better-brassie

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 1XL nymph or scud hook, 14 to 20
  • Thread Black 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Bead Copper tungsten bead (1, sized to hook)
  • Body Fine copper wire (wrapped)
  • Thorax Peacock herl (or muskrat dubbing) (2 strands)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the copper bead to the eye and start thread behind it, tying in the fine copper wire at the bend.
  2. Wind the wire forward in tight, touching turns to build a slim segmented body, stopping just short of the bead.
  3. Bind off the wire and helicopter it to break it clean rather than cutting.
  4. Tie in two peacock herls and twist them into a rope for durability.
  5. Wrap the herl thorax in three to four turns up to the bead to form a buggy collar.
  6. Bind off, build a small thread head, whip finish behind the bead and add a drop of cement.

Other versions

1 more in the app: Fly Fish Food Tie.

Tying videos

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