Body Peacock herl (or chenille/dubbing to taste) (4-6 herls)
Rib Fine gold or copper wire (1 length)
Hackle Ringneck pheasant rump feather (1-2)
How to tie it
Lay a thread base to the bend and tie in a short tail of pheasant rump fibers, about half a shank length.
Tie in the wire rib, then 4-6 peacock herls by their tips.
Twist the herls into a rope with the thread and wrap a full body forward to the 85% mark, then counter-wrap the wire rib in 4-5 open turns to armor the fragile herl.
Tie in a pheasant rump feather by the tip, concave side toward the hook.
Take 2-3 turns of the rump feather as a collar, sweeping the long, webby fibers back so they veil the body almost to the tail. That sweeping veil is what pulses like a swimming dragonfly nymph.
Build a small head, whip finish, and cement.
Substitutions
Hackle instead of Pheasant rump: Ringneck pheasant rump (church-window) — The classic feather; Schlappen — Longer flow if rump is short
Body instead of Peacock herl: Peacock Ice Dub — Durable; Olive or black chenille — Solid-color variants