Bodkin / Patterns

Gartside Sparrow

Nymph · Wet Fly · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Panfish · Intermediate · 1 version

Gartside Original

  • Hook 2XL-3XL nymph/streamer hook (e.g. TMC 5263), 4-10
  • Thread Olive, brown, or gray to match the body 6/0

Materials

  • Tail Natural case (Pheasant rump marabou fibers, one hook-length)
  • Body Olive/brown/gray material (Buggy dubbing (SLF, rabbit, or Gartside’s own blend))
  • Hackle Natural hackle (One ringneck pheasant rump ("church window") feather)
  • Collar Natural case (One aftershaft (philoplume) feather from the pheasant rump)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread behind the eye and wind a base back to the bend.
  2. Strip a bunch of soft marabou-like fibers from the base of a pheasant rump feather and tie them in as a tail one shank-length long.
  3. Dub a rough, buggy body forward over the rear two-thirds of the shank, leaving room for the hackle and collar.
  4. Tie in a pheasant rump ("church window") feather by its tip, then wind two or three turns as a soft, sweeping hackle and tie off; stroke the fibers back and down.
  5. Tie in a fluffy aftershaft (philoplume) feather by its stem and take one or two turns to veil the front of the fly in a soft, translucent halo; tie off.
  6. Build a small head, whip finish, and cement.

Tying videos

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