Bodkin / Patterns

Black Gnat Red-Tail Dry Fly

Dry Fly · Midge · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook, 14-20
  • Thread Black 8/0

Materials

  • Tail Red buzzer wrap (Red hackle fibers)
  • Body Black ostrich herl (Black Superfine dubbing)
  • Wing Gray flotation (Gray mallard or hen tips (optional))
  • Hackle Black hackle (Black dry-fly hackle)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the hook and start thread at the 75% mark.
  2. Tie in a sparse bunch of red hackle fibers as a tail, one shank length long, and bind back to the bend.
  3. Dub a slim black body forward to the 70% mark. Keep it thin and tapered.
  4. If using wings, stand a small pair of gray tips upright at the 70% mark and post them with a few thread turns.
  5. Tie in a black hackle and take 4-5 turns to build a dense collar, then tie off.
  6. Whip finish at the eye and add a tiny drop of cement, keeping it off the hackle.

Tying videos

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