Bodkin / Patterns

Henry's Fork Foam Stone

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook 2XL-3XL dry-fly hook, TMC 5263 or Daiichi 1280, #8-12 (golden stone); #4-8 (salmonfly)
  • Thread Tan or brown 6/0 (140 denier)

Materials

  • Underbody Wapsi Super Fine dubbing, tan/gold (golden stone) or burnt orange (salmonfly) (pinch)
  • Body/shellback 2mm closed-cell foam strip, cinnamon/tan (golden) or light brown (salmonfly), cut one hook-gap wide (1 strip)
  • Wing Mottled EP fibers (golden) or gray EP fibers (salmonfly) (1 sparse clump)
  • Legs Round rubber legs, barred brown (2 per side)
  • Indicator Orange poly yarn or foam tab (1 small tuft)

How to tie it

  1. Cut a foam strip one hook-gap wide and taper the rear end; with a marker, pre-mark 3 evenly spaced segment lines so the finished back looks jointed.
  2. Lay a thread base and bind the foam strip on top of the shank at the bend, tip extending a short stub past the bend as the tail.
  3. Dub a thin underbody of tan-gold (or orange) dubbing forward to the 70% point.
  4. Pull the foam forward over the back and lock it down at each pre-marked line with 3-4 tight thread turns, building 3 segments. Do not overcompress; the foam is the float.
  5. At the front segment, tie in round rubber legs with figure-8 wraps, two per side, angled back.
  6. Tie a sparse EP-fiber wing flat over the back, reaching just past the bend.
  7. Fold the remaining foam back to form a bullet head, add a small orange poly indicator tuft on top for visibility, whip finish under the head, and trim.

Tying videos

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