Bodkin / Patterns

Copper Joan

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 3 versions

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Curved 2XL nymph/stonefly hook (TMC 200R style), 4-8
  • Thread Brown 210 denier flat waxed

Materials

  • Bead Metallic brown or burnt orange (5.5mm plummeting tungsten)
  • Body Brown over March brown (two shades of 0.5mm tying wire)
  • Wing case Black or brown wing slip (8mm scud/thin skin)
  • Thorax Black or dark mottled material (coarse nymph dubbing)
  • Legs Natural grey or black rubber legs (CDC fibers)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the tungsten bead on, mount the big curved hook, and lay a thread base back to the bend.
  2. Bind in the brown wire and lock down the critical first wraps. A clean base keeps the heavy wire from rolling.
  3. Wrap the brown wire in touching turns forward to the 60% mark, then bind and snip.
  4. Layer the March brown wire over the same abdomen in open spirals to build a two-tone segmented look, bind, and snip.
  5. Tie in a strip of scud skin at the front of the abdomen for the wing case, shiny side down.
  6. Dub a fat, mottled thorax up toward the bead.
  7. Pull the scud skin forward over the thorax and pin it behind the bead for the wing case.
  8. Tie in a few CDC fibers each side as swept-back legs, build the head, and whip finish.

Other versions

2 more in the app: Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 1, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 2.

Tying videos

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