Bodkin / Patterns

Blue Assassin-Beadhead

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Firehole 315 (or similar scud/nymph hook), 10 (designer's range #14-18)
  • Thread White FWN underbody; peacock blue for the head 210D FWN underbody; 8/0 (70D) blue

Materials

  • Bead Silver, 3.2mm tungsten/brass (1)
  • Flat waxed nylon (underbody) White uni stretch (Underbody)
  • Antron or Z-lon (tail) Dun/white antron or z lon (Small clump)
  • Mirage Flashabou (body) Pearl/opal mirage flashabou (3-4 strands)
  • UTC wire (rib) Gunmetal blue, small (1 length)
  • Ice dubbing (collar) Blue ice dub (Small pinch)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the silver bead onto the hook and secure it in the vise; start the white flat waxed nylon behind the bead.
  2. Tie in a short, sparse clump of white/dun Z-lon as a tail on top of the shank and bind it down to keep the underbody smooth; trim.
  3. Tie in a length of small gunmetal-blue wire along the side for the rib.
  4. Tie in three or four strands of Mirage flashabou behind the bead, then wrap the thread and materials rearward in touching turns to the tail, keeping the underbody uniform, and return the thread to just behind the bead.
  5. Switch to blue thread behind the bead and trim the white and wire tags; add a drop of head cement to the underbody wraps.
  6. Wrap the Mirage flashabou forward in touching turns to cover the body up to the bead; tie off, fold the tag back, and lock it in.
  7. Counter-wrap the blue wire forward in open, even spiral turns for the rib and helicopter it off.
  8. Dub a small blue ice-dub collar right behind the bead.
  9. Finish with a double whip finish behind the bead, trim, and add a touch of head cement if desired.

Tying videos

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