Bodkin / Patterns

Julia

Wet Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Curved scud/emerger hook (TMC 2487), #12
  • Thread Bright orange 8/0

Materials

  • Mallard flank fibers Barred gray mallard flank fibers (Exactly 2 fibers for the tail)
  • Frostbite (woven plastic mesh, used like floss) Red floss (One length for the body)
  • Dubbing Bright green dubbing (A pinch for the thorax, dubbed loosely)
  • Partridge Natural gray-brown partridge (One soft feather, 2 turns)

How to tie it

  1. Build a base of bright orange thread along the shank, keeping it flat so the body underneath stays smooth.
  2. Tie in exactly two mallard flank fibers as a long, wispy tail. Deliberately out of proportion, considerably longer than the body.
  3. Tie in the red Frostbite and wrap it forward as a slim body over the rear two-thirds of the shank. Treat it like floss and keep the wraps flat.
  4. Wax the thread with dubbing wax and spin on the bright green dubbing loosely. You want it to trap a little air and look buggy, not be packed tight.
  5. Dub the green thorax over the front third, leaving room behind the eye.
  6. Strip the fluff from a soft partridge feather, tie it in and take just two turns of hackle. Pinch it down firmly. You only want a few fibers for movement.
  7. Pull the hackle back and wind the head back a little over the leading edge of the hackle so the fibers taper back over the body.
  8. Whip finish.

Tying videos

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