Bodkin / Patterns

Bird's Nest

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 4 versions

Classic Recipe

• Hook Standard nymph, 10-16
• Thread Tan 8/0

Materials

• Tail Wood duck flank (sparse)
• Rib Copper wire (spiral)
• Body Tan Australian possum (rough)
• Legs Wood duck, distributed around (collar)
• Thorax Same dubbing (fuller)

How to tie it

1. Start tan thread and lay a base to the bend.
2. Tie in a sparse bunch of wood duck flank as a short tail.
3. Catch in copper wire at the tail base.
4. Dub a rough body of tan Australian possum forward to the 70% mark, then rib forward with the copper wire in 5-6 open turns and tie off.
5. Tie in a small bunch of wood duck flank and distribute the fibers all the way around the shank as a collar. This breathing collar is the whole point of the fly.
6. Dub a fuller thorax of the same possum in front of the collar.
7. Build a small head, whip finish, and cement.

Substitutions

• Body instead of Australian possum dubbing: Hare's ear dubbing — Same buggy texture; Muskrat with guard hairs — Natural, slightly finer
• Hackle instead of Mallard flank: Wood duck flank — Barred, classic; Partridge — More mottling, softer

Other versions

3 more in the app: Copper Bead, Bead Head, Beadhead.

Tying videos

• Bird's Nest — Curtis Fry (YouTube)
• Bird's Nest — Tightline Productions (Matt Grobert) (Orvis)
• Bird's Nest — MidCurrent (MidCurrent)
• Bird's Nest — cascade fly fisher (YouTube)
• Bird's Nest — Caddis Fly Angling Shop (YouTube)
• Bird's Nest — Loon Outdoors (YouTube)

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