Bodkin / Patterns

Bullet Head Salmon Fly

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 3XL long dry-fly hook, 2-6
  • Thread Orange 3/0

Materials

  • Body Burnt orange (Foam strip or coarse dubbing)
  • Rib Black ostrich herl (Fine wire or thread)
  • Underwing Orange permanent marker (Pinch of Antron)
  • Wing / Back Natural dark deer / elk (Large clump)
  • Bullet Head Natural dark deer (Butts of the wing clump)
  • Legs Black barred rubber legs (Two pairs rubber legs)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the 3XL hook and start the thread at the 70% mark, wrapping a firm base to the bend.
  2. Build a burnt-orange body forward to the 65% mark. Keep it robust, this is a big adult, but resist over-dubbing.
  3. Rib forward with 5-6 open turns of black wire and bind off.
  4. Tie in an orange Antron underwing, then a heavy clump of dark deer hair with tips extending one shank length past the bend.
  5. Fold the butts back over the body and cinch them at the 65% mark into a broad bullet head, then figure-8 two pairs of black rubber legs across the tie-down.
  6. Sweep loose fibers back into a collar, dam the thread behind the eye, and whip finish.
  7. Trim the legs to roughly a shank length so they twitch on the drift.

Tying videos

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