Bodkin / Patterns

Fog Black

Wet Fly · Trout · Grayling · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook wet fly / spider hook, down-eye, 15-16
  • Thread dark purple 8/0

Materials

  • Silk body Dark purple silk (full length of shank)
  • Dubbing Heron herl (or, more sparingly, black ostrich herl) (sparse)
  • Wing Slip from a bullfinch wing (optional) (tied low)
  • Hackle Feather from a starling neck (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Run the dark purple silk from behind the eye to above the barb, then forward two-thirds.
  2. Twist a wisp of dark heron herl (or black ostrich) onto the silk and wind a slim dark body over the rear two-thirds of the shank.
  3. If winging, tie a slim low slip of dark bullfinch (or substitute) over the body.
  4. Tie in the dark starling neck feather by its tip behind the eye.
  5. Take 1.5 to 2 sparse turns of hackle, secure, clip the stem, stroke fibres back, whip finish and varnish.

Tying videos

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