Bodkin / Patterns

Deb's Icy Adams Mayfly

Dry Fly · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Dry fly, barbless (Ahrex), 14
  • Thread Brown 18/0 Nano Silk (waxed)

Materials

  • Coq de Leon fibers Speckled coq de leon fibers (4-5 for tail)
  • Fine wire Brown fine wire (1 length for rib)
  • Hackle tips Brown grizzly (or natural grizzly) hackle tips (2 for wings)
  • Kapok dubbing blended with Ice Dub Natural kapok with purple Ice Dub (Small pinch for body)
  • Dry fly hackle 1 brown/golden grizzly + 1 natural grizzly dry fly hackle (2 feathers)

How to tie it

  1. Wax the thread (Nano Silk is slippery) and lay a base. Pull 4-5 Coq de Leon fibers straight off the stem, even the tips, and tie in a tail one shank-length long. Take a couple of turns under the tail and bring one wrap up through the middle to splay the fibers.
  2. Build a slight thread taper, then position the thread a couple of hook-eye lengths back from the eye.
  3. Tie in two hackle tips as wings, one shank-length long, curved faces outward so the feather tops face each other. Stand them up with thread in front and figure-eight between them to splay. Trim the butts.
  4. Tie in the fine brown wire and take it down to the tail.
  5. Dub a slim tapered body of kapok blended with purple Ice Dub up to behind the wings, snipping off any unruly Ice Dub strands that stick out. Keep the body slim with just a hint of shine.
  6. Counter-wind the wire rib forward in even turns for durability; tie off and trim.
  7. Size both hackles so the fibers reach just below the hook point. Strip the lower stems and tie both in behind the wings with the underside of each feather facing forward.
  8. Wind both hackles together (two turns behind the wings, one in front) then tie off and trim the stems.
  9. Sweep the hackle clear of the eye, whip finish several times, and pluck or snip any fibers crowding the eye.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns