Note: Contested against a published dressing: The Headstand is Lance Egan's CARP fly, not a trout nymph, and the published dressing differs from ours in four of six roles. Eyes: bead chain, not lead dumbbell (Umpqua's commercial Headstand also specifies bead chain — the lighter eye is deliberate so it lands softly near feeding carp). Source: Fly Fish Food — "Egan's Headstand", Stillwater Tutorials (pattern by Lance Egan) — https://www.flyfishfood.com/blogs/stillwater-tutorials/egans-headstand
Classic Recipe
Hook Standard nymph, 10-14
Thread Black 6/0
Materials
Eyes Lead dumbbell, tied on top (1 pair)
Tail Black marabou (short)
Body Black dubbing (full)
Legs Black Sili legs (2 pairs)
Back Pearl flash (over top)
How to tie it
Mount the hook. Lash the lead dumbbell eyes on TOP of the shank about one-third back from the eye; on top so the hook rides point-up and the fly tips nose-down onto its eyes like a feeding crayfish.
Run thread to the bend and tie in a short tuft of black marabou, no longer than half a shank, as a tail.
Dub a full black body forward, building to a fat carapace, working around and behind the dumbbell.
Tie in two pairs of black Sili legs splayed to the sides so they wave on the drop.
Pull a strand or two of pearl flash over the top as a back and bind it down behind the eyes.
Bring thread in front of the dumbbell, build a small head and whip finish; cement the wraps at the eyes.
Other versions
7 more in the app: Classic Recipe (2), Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 1, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 2, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 3, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 4, Chartreuse, Rusty.