Bodkin / Patterns

Blackhead

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

As tied by TCO Fly Shop

  • Hook TMC 3769, 14 (tied for the demo; the tyer usually ties 18-20)
  • Thread Olive

Materials

  • Bead Small black glass bead
  • Tail Black pearl Crystal Flash, 3 strands, left long off the bend
  • Abdomen Thread, kept thin and flat
  • Wing case UTC holographic tinsel, black, small
  • Thorax Arizona peacock dubbing, sparse
  • Legs Black Crystal Flash, 4 strands

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread just behind the bead, make a few wraps and trim the tag.
  2. Tie in three strands of black pearl Crystal Flash in the thorax area, run them back and tie them down at the back; they stay long off the bend as the tails.
  3. Wrap the thread back to the bend and forward again, keeping it flat and thin, as the abdomen.
  4. Tie in the black holographic tinsel right behind the bead for the wing case, without wrapping far back.
  5. Dub a very sparse amount of Arizona peacock onto the thread and wrap it back a little over the thorax and tinsel.
  6. Tie in four strands of black Crystal Flash right behind the bead, two pulled to each side, with a locking wrap, as legs.
  7. Add a little more dubbing and make a couple of turns to lock the legs in place.
  8. Centre the tinsel, take a couple of wraps, pull it back as the wing case, take a couple more wraps and trim.
  9. Whip finish right behind the bead.
  10. Push the tails up and spread, trim them short, and trim the legs about midway down the body.

Tying videos

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