Bodkin / Patterns

Brent's V-Rib Soft Hackle

Wet Fly · Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Mustad C49S curved caddis, 8
  • Thread Rusty brown 6/0

Materials

  • Bead Copper bead (7/64 inch)
  • Lead wire, 0.020 Natural lead wire (Several turns behind bead (weight))
  • Partridge tail fibers Brown hen hackle (Small bunch (tail))
  • Magnum Flashabou, holographic Copper flashabou (2-3 strands (underbody))
  • V-Rib, large (medium also works) Amber vinyl rib medium (1 strand (body))
  • Ice Dub Olive brown ice dub (Loose pinch (thorax))
  • Partridge neck hackle Natural partridge (1 feather (collar))
  • Head cement Clear head cement (Finish)

How to tie it

  1. Seat the copper bead, wrap several turns of 0.020 lead snug behind it, and build a thread dam behind the lead; take the thread around the bend.
  2. Tie in a short tail of brown partridge tail fibers, carrying it slightly around the bend; trim the butts in behind the lead.
  3. Stretch the large amber V-Rib to soften it and trim its tie-in end to a taper; tie it in flat side up at the bend so the rounded face wraps outward.
  4. Tie in two or three strands of copper holographic Magnum Flashabou and wrap them to cover the shank. The flash underbody makes the translucent rib pop.
  5. Wrap the V-Rib forward in touching turns for strong segmentation, stopping short of the bead; tie it off very well.
  6. Dub a loose, sparse ball of olive brown Ice Dub so a little peeks out behind the collar.
  7. Tie in a soft partridge neck hackle by the tip behind the bead, fold the fibers, and take one turn. That's plenty at this circumference; sweep the fibers back and secure.
  8. Build a thread collar behind the bead, whip finish, and add head cement.

Tying videos

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