Bodkin / Patterns

Black N Silver Red Butt

Nymph · Midge · Stillwater · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

BCFlyguys

  • Hook Daiichi 1760 2XL curved nymph hook, 14
  • Thread Red then black UTC 70

Materials

  • Black nickel bead, 3/32 Black nickel bead (1)
  • Uni-Stretch (gills) White uni stretch (Short tag)
  • Flashabou Silver flashabou (Rib (silver wire in the original))
  • Superglue Clear head cement (Full coat)

How to tie it

  1. Tie white Uni-Stretch gills in on a size 14 Daiichi 1760, whip finish and slide a 3/32 black nickel bead up over the wraps.
  2. Use red UTC 70 for the rear of the body, spinning the bobbin to keep the thread as flat as possible. This is a thread body fly, so flat thread is everything. Wrap all the way down to the barb and back.
  3. Tie in silver Flashabou for the rib. The original uses a plain silver wire rib; the Flashabou is a dress-up.
  4. Tie in black UTC 70 alongside without whip finishing the red. Leave the red bobbin hanging, tie the black in, then cut the red out. That overlap avoids a lump at the changeover.
  5. Build the taper with the black thread, and as you reach the middle of the fly start opening the wraps out so the red shows through in a blended gradient. The flatter your thread, the easier this is.
  6. Close the wraps back up toward the bead, then rib the silver Flashabou forward and tie it off.
  7. Whip finish, trim the gills, and coat with superglue. The flossy UTC thread lets the red bleed through when glued. That is what makes the colour pop.

Tying videos

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