Bodkin / Patterns

Gypsy King

Dry Fly · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Daiichi 1280 (2XL dry fly), range #6-12, 6
  • Thread Black 6/0

Materials

  • Copper wire Copper wire (small/extra-small, 1 strand for rib)
  • Peacock herl Natural peacock herl (12-20 strands)
  • Thin foam Brown thin foam (2mm strip, one hook-gap wide)
  • Krystal Flash Pearl flashabou (3-4 strands (doubled))
  • Deer or elk hair Natural deer hair (1 small clump for wing)
  • Rooster saddle hackle Grizzly hackle (1 feather)
  • Round rubber legs Brown silly legs nymph size (medium, 2 sets)

How to tie it

  1. Place the hook in the vise, start black thread behind the eye, and wrap a base back to the bend.
  2. Tie in a strand of small copper wire along the shank and lash it down to the bend, leaving the wire hanging at the rear.
  3. Tie in a clump of 12-20 peacock herl strands, twist them into a rope, and wrap forward to just behind the eye, building slightly more bulk toward the front to suggest a thorax; tie off (add a second clump if you run short).
  4. Counter-wrap the copper wire forward through the herl in open spirals to lock the fibers in place, then tie off and helicopter the excess free.
  5. Bring the thread back to a point one-quarter of the shank behind the eye, leaving the rear three-quarters of the body exposed.
  6. Cut the rear of a brown 2mm foam strip (about one hook-gap wide) to a point and tie it in on top so the point overhangs the bend slightly; take a wrap or two under the foam to keep it from rolling.
  7. Tie in 3-4 strands of pearl Krystal Flash doubled over the thread (6-8 strands total) on top of the shank, left long for now.
  8. Stack a clump of deer or elk hair, measure it to overhang the foam slightly, trim the butts to length, and tie it in on top with a few progressively tighter wraps; wrap through the butt ends and take a wrap underneath to secure, then trim stray butts.
  9. Tie in a set of medium brown round rubber legs together on each side just below and next to the foam, front pair angled down and forward and rear pair up.
  10. Tie in a grizzly rooster saddle hackle and take several turns (more for fast water, fewer for slow), sized slightly oversized so fibers reach past the bend; tie off and trim.
  11. Jump the thread up to the eye, pull the foam forward over the top of the body, and cinch it down to form a head.
  12. Whip finish under the foam right at the eye and trim the thread; trim the foam head to a couple of millimeters beyond the eye and split/trim the rubber legs to length.

Tying videos

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