Bodkin / Patterns

Clear Wing Spinner Brown Drake

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook (TMC 100), 8-10
  • Thread Brown 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Tail Brown/ginger Microfibbets or moose body hair (3 fibers, split)
  • Body Brown drake dubbing or turkey biot (brownish-yellow) (as needed)
  • Rib Fine copper wire or thread (optional) (1 length)
  • Wing Clear/pale Antron or organza spinner wing material (spent, out to sides)
  • Thorax Brown drake dubbing (as needed)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread and tie in 3 split tail fibers at the bend, widely splayed for a stable spinner float.
  2. Dub or wrap a slim, segmented brown-drake body (brownish with a yellow cast) two-thirds up the shank.
  3. Tie in clear/organza spinner-wing material across the hook so the wings lie flat and spent out to each side, imitating the transparent wings of a dead spinner in the film.
  4. Dub a slightly fuller brown thorax around the wing base in a figure-eight to set the wings flat.
  5. Whip finish a small head and add a touch of floatant to the wings only, letting the body ride flush in the surface.
  6. The clear flat wings and low body imitate a spent brown drake spinner lying trapped in the film.

Tying videos

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