Bodkin / Patterns

Grey Fly

Salmon/Steelhead · Wet Fly · Steelhead · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Bartleet-style up-eye salmon hook, #2 (tied); #4-1/0 also work
  • Thread Black 10/0

Materials

  • Oval tinsel (tip and rib) Gold oval tinsel (Small, one strand for each)
  • Floss (tag) Hot fluorescent green floss (Short piece)
  • Floss (body) Wine / burgundy (One length, wound in three passes)
  • Hackle fibres (beard) Silver doctor blue (Bunch about 1 cm wide)
  • Fox squirrel tail (wing) Natural barred hair (One sparse stacked bunch)
  • Head cement Clear head cement (One drop)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the salmon hook and take black thread back to just past the hook point.
  2. Tie in the small gold oval tinsel on the underside and wind a very short tip, three or four turns is plenty, then tie off and trim.
  3. Advance the thread forward about one tag-length. Tie in the hot green floss and wind it back to the tip and forward again in touching turns so it finishes two layers thick; a single layer lets the black thread bleed through and dull the colour. Tie off and trim.
  4. Tie in a second length of small gold oval tinsel as the rib at the front of the tag.
  5. Tie in the wine floss a little ahead of the tie-in bump so the first pass does not sit on the lump. Wind it forward, back, and forward again, three passes, filling the gap behind so the body comes out even; finish at the 85% point, double the floss over to trap it, add a few extra wraps and half hitch.
  6. Take one turn of the rib at the rear of the body then spiral it forward in even turns; tie it off under the shank and trim.
  7. Turn the fly or work underneath: tie in a bunch of blue fibres about 1 cm wide as a beard, straight and reaching back to the tag. Trim the butts and clean up.
  8. Stack a sparse bunch of fox squirrel tail (stacking lines up the barring) and measure it a touch long, then trim to length. Set it on top with a soft loop and bind down tight. Keep it sparse, as too big a bunch of slippery hair will pull out.
  9. Build a neat black head, whip finish and add head cement.

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