Bodkin / Patterns

Denny's Seal Bugger

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Tyer Recipe

  • Hook 4XL streamer (Daiichi 2220), 10
  • Thread Black 6/0 waxed

Materials

  • Lead wire, .020 n/a (About 12 wraps over the mid shank)
  • Blood quill marabou Burnt orange (A thin bunch stripped off the side of the quill)
  • Holographic Flashabou Fuchsia holographic flashabou (A few strands tied in a V over the tail)
  • Copper wire Copper wire (One length for the rib)
  • Micro-barb saddle hackle (Metz) To complement the body (One feather, sized not oversized)
  • Seal fur (or seal substitute) Olive ice dub (Enough for a dubbed body)

How to tie it

  1. Wind about 12 wraps of.020 lead wire over the middle of the shank and cover it with a thread base so it cannot slide. Keep the weight mid-shank rather than all at the front so the fly does not undulate too much.
  2. Pinch a thin bunch of burnt orange blood quill marabou off the side of the feather and tie it in at the bend for a sparse tail. This fly is deliberately lightly tailed.
  3. Tie a few strands of fuchsia holographic Flashabou over the top of the tail in a V.
  4. Tie in the copper wire rib at the rear.
  5. Tie in the micro-barb saddle hackle at the front by the butt, cut the excess and put a half hitch in.
  6. Dub the olive seal fur onto the thread and wrap a shaggy body from the tail forward to just behind the eye.
  7. Palmer the hackle back over the body: one or two complete turns at the front, then four evenly spaced turns working to the rear, giving four distinct segments - Denny Rickards was firm that it should be four, not five.
  8. Counter-wrap the copper wire forward through the hackle to the head, tie it off and helicopter the tag away.
  9. Pick the seal fur out with a dubbing brush so it stands out between the hackle segments.
  10. Build a small head, whip finish and add head cement.

Tying videos

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