Bodkin / Patterns

Blue Quill

Dry Fly · Trout · Grayling · Beginner · 2 versions

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry fly, 14-18
  • Thread Gray 8/0

Materials

  • Tail Dun hackle fibers (split)
  • Body Stripped peacock quill (banded)
  • Wing Gray hackle tips (upright)
  • Hackle Dun hackle (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Mount hook, tie in split dun tails.
  2. Wrap a soaked, stripped peacock quill body in touching turns to the 65% mark. Coat lightly with cement for durability.
  3. Tie in two gray hackle-tip wings, upright and divided.
  4. Wrap one dun hackle, 2 turns behind and 2 in front. Whip finish.

Substitutions

  • Body instead of Stripped peacock quill: Semperfli Quill Subs — Pre-printed quill, much more durable; Veevus Body Quill — Thread-based substitute; Stripped hackle stem — Traditional alternative
  • Wing instead of Gray hackle tips: Dun CDC puffs — Modern, better flotation; Dun poly yarn — Visible, easy to tie

Other versions

1 more in the app: Gregg Dressing (1940).

Tying videos

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