Bodkin / Patterns

Black Bear Skunk

Salmon/Steelhead · Wet Fly · Steelhead · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook TMC 7989 (light-wire Atlantic salmon/steelhead), 6
  • Thread Black (waxed) 6/0

Materials

  • Mylar tinsel Silver/gold, size 14 mylar tinsel (one strand (tag and rib))
  • Hackle fibers Red hackle fibers (generous pinch (tail))
  • Antron yarn Green wool yarn (small butt)
  • Ice Dub blended with peacock Ice Dub Black/peacock ice dub (body (seal fur substitute))
  • Webby neck hackle Black hackle (1 inexpensive feather (throat))
  • Black bear hair Black ostrich herl (wing to end of tail)
  • UV resin (thin/bone dry) Clear uv resin (head and wing butts)

How to tie it

  1. Start the waxed black thread and wrap to above the barb.
  2. Tie in the size 14 Mylar tinsel gold side up and wrap a short silver tag at the rear; keep the remainder for the rib.
  3. Tie in a generous pinch of red hackle fibers as the tail.
  4. Wrap a small bright butt of green Antron over the rear quarter to third of the body; tie off.
  5. Dub a buggy body of black Ice Dub (blend a little peacock Ice Dub in for shine) up the shank.
  6. Rib forward with the Mylar and tie off with plenty of good turns, then pick the dubbing out with a bodkin or dubbing picker. Mostly on the bottom, keeping the top clear for the wing.
  7. Tie in a webby black hackle at a slight angle, wind four or five turns, bring the thread through the hackle to the rear, and pull the fibers down and back so the throat envelops the lower shank without crowding the eye.
  8. Cut a wing of black bear hair reaching to the end of the tail; cut the butts at an angle and tie in with firm wraps, grabbing the bottoms and tipping the wing up as you work forward. Natural bear is slippery, so keep the tension on.
  9. Build a good head, whip finish, then soak the head and into the wing butts with thin UV resin and cure with the torch for durability.

Tying videos

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