Bodkin / Patterns

Drunken Dragon

Nymph · Largemouth Bass · Smallmouth Bass · Panfish · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2XL nymph, 6
  • Thread olive 70 denier

Materials

  • Tail Yellow-dyed pheasant (rump fluff, short tuft)
  • Body Olive ostrich herl (medium chenille)
  • Legs Yellow-dyed pheasant (rump fibers)
  • Eyes Red buzzer wrap (silver-lined beads on mono)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the 2XL hook and start olive thread; at mid-shank tie in a short mono post crosswise for the eye stalks.
  2. Slide a red bead onto each end of the mono and secure the tips so the eyes sit wide.
  3. At the bend, tie in a stubby tuft of yellow pheasant fluff for the tail, short and fat.
  4. Tie in olive chenille and build a bulky, triple-wrapped body forward to just behind the eyes, since dragon nymphs are chunky.
  5. Tie in yellow pheasant rump and sweep the fibers back along the sides for legs.
  6. Wrap the chenille around and figure-8 between the bead eyes to form the head.
  7. Whip finish behind the eyes and cement.

Tying videos

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