Bodkin / Patterns

Henry's Fork Salmonfly

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 3XL-4XL dry-fly hook, 4-8
  • Thread Orange 6/0

Materials

  • Elk hair Natural/dark elk hair (1 small clump for underbody wing)
  • Dubbing Burnt orange (1 pinch)
  • Elk or deer hair Dark moose body hair (1 clump for wing)
  • Elk hair Bleached/light elk hair (1 small clump for head/collar)

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread at mid-shank and dub a fat burnt-orange abdomen from the bend forward to the 60% mark.
  2. Stack a clump of dark elk hair and tie it down as a flat wing extending just past the bend, butts pointing forward.
  3. Dub over the trimmed butts to build a thorax to the 80% mark.
  4. Stack a second, slightly bulkier clump of dark elk and tie it in as the main wing, tips reaching the bend, and trim the butts square.
  5. Tie in a clump of light elk facing forward over the eye, then fold it back and bind it down to form a bullet head and flared collar. This pale head is the fly's signature visibility point.
  6. Whip finish tight against the collar and add a drop of cement at the thread wraps.

Tying videos

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