Bodkin / Patterns

Hex (Hexagenia)

Dry Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry fly, 3x long, 4-8
  • Thread Yellow 6/0

Materials

  • Tail Moose body hair (long, forked)
  • Body Yellow dubbing (big and robust)
  • Wing Elk hair (large, upright)
  • Hackle Grizzly and brown hackle (full, mixed)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the 3x long hook, tie in a long forked moose tail. A shank length and a half; Hex are enormous.
  2. Dub a big, robust yellow body with a real taper, to the 60% mark. This is the one mayfly where more dubbing is correct.
  3. Stack and tie in a large upright elk wing.
  4. Wrap mixed grizzly and brown hackle, heavy. This fly must float a size 4 body in the dark.
  5. Whip finish, cement well.

Substitutions

  • Body instead of Yellow dubbing: Pale yellow Superfine — Easier to dub the big body; Yellow foam underbody — Keeps this big fly floating; Yellow yarn — Quick body for tying multiples
  • Tail instead of Moose body hair: Brown bucktail — Long fibers for this big fly; Micro Fibbets — Cleaner split
  • Wing instead of Elk hair: Coastal deer hair — More hollow, bigger profile; White calf tail — Visible in the dark when Hex hatch

Tying videos

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