Bodkin / Patterns

Corn-Fed Spruce Moth

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook standard dry-fly hook, 12-16
  • Thread tan or cream 8/0

Materials

  • Shuck Tan Antron/Zelon (optional) (small bunch)
  • Body Tan/cream dry-fly dubbing (thin noodle)
  • Underwing Cream CDC feathers, stacked by tips (3)
  • Wing Light elk or deer hair (small bunch)
  • Thorax Cream/tan dubbing (lighter than caddis version) (1 pinch)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread and, if using, tie in a short tan Antron shuck at the bend.
  2. Dub a slim tan/cream body forward over the back two-thirds of the shank.
  3. Stack three cream CDC feathers by their tips and tie them in flat over the body as a full underwing; the CDC never fully sinks and gives lifelike flutter.
  4. Stack a small bunch of light elk hair and tie it in over the CDC as an overwing extending to about the bend, flaring the butts slightly.
  5. Trim the elk butts short and dub a light cream thorax over the trimmed butts to cover them and float the front.
  6. Whip finish at the eye; the combined CDC/elk wing sits the fly low and buggy in the film like a spent moth.

Tying videos

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