Bodkin / Patterns

Blue Winged Olive Thorax

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook (TMC 100), 14-20
  • Thread Olive 8/0

Materials

  • Tails Dun hackle fibers or Microfibetts, split (6-12 fibers)
  • Body Olive superfine dubbing (as needed)
  • Wing Dun hackle tips or turkey-flat post (1 pair/1)
  • Hackle Blue dun dry-fly hackle, trimmed flat underneath (1 feather)
  • Thorax Olive superfine dubbing (as needed)

How to tie it

  1. Split a small bunch of dun tailing fibers into a wide V at the bend to float the fly level.
  2. Dub a slim olive abdomen forward to the front third.
  3. Tie in an upright, divided dun hackle-tip wing (or a single turkey-flat post) at the front third.
  4. Dub the olive thorax around the wing base.
  5. Wind a blue dun hackle through the thorax, then trim the hackle flat beneath so the body sits flush in the surface film, the defining trait of a thorax-style dun.
  6. Whip finish and cement at the eye.

Tying videos

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