Bodkin / Patterns

Extended Body

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Short-shank wide-gape dry-fly hook, 12
  • Thread Rusty brown (body) + light tan (fly) 8/0

Materials

  • Moose mane fibers Black deer hair (3 (tails))
  • Bull elk hair Light bull elk hair (small pinch (extended body))
  • Mallard flank Grey mallard flank (1 feather (wally wings))
  • Swiss straw Natural/translucent swiss straw (1 strip (thorax cover))
  • Whiting Hebert Miner saddle hackle Creamy light dun (1)

How to tie it

  1. Wax a needle in the vise, start rusty brown thread near the tip, and tie in three black moose mane fibers for the tails.
  2. Tie in a pinch of bull elk by the tips at the tail base, twist it evenly around the needle, then fold the fibers forward and lash them to start the first body segment.
  3. Work forward making tight thread wraps every few millimeters to create an even, banded, air-filled extended body; whip finish at the front, leave a long tag, slide the body off the needle, and dab head cement at the tip.
  4. Put the wide-gape #12 hook in the vise, switch to light tan thread, and tie the extended body onto the shank, wrapping over and under to stop it rotating and to curve it upward; trim the elk butts.
  5. Tie in a folded length of Swiss straw at the eye and run it back to the body base for the thorax cover.
  6. Tie in a grey mallard flank feather and split it into two wally wings (two fibers per side drawn back); trim the stem.
  7. Tie in the creamy light dun saddle hackle behind the wings and wrap eight or nine turns behind and a couple in front to prop the wings upright; tie off and trim.
  8. Pull the Swiss straw thorax cover forward between the wings and tie it down, forcing the hackle out to the sides; whip finish and cement.

Tying videos

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