Bodkin / Patterns

Lancer Damsel Foam back

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Heavy nymph/wet hook, barbless (Fulling Mill 35005 Heavyweight Champ), #10-12, #10-12
  • Thread Medium olive 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Eyes Burnt monofilament eyes (Maxima Chameleon 25 lb, ends melted) (1 pair)
  • Tail Olive grizzly marabou (or olive black-barred marabou) (small clump)
  • Abdomen Olive ringneck pheasant tail fibers (4-6 fibers)
  • Rib Gold (or amber) small Ultra Wire (1 strand)
  • Foam back/wing case Thin olive foam strip (1-2 mm) (1 strip)
  • Thorax Pheasant Tail Ice Dub (pinch)
  • Hot spot UV Shrimp Pink Ice Dub (small pinch)
  • Legs Olive-dyed partridge (1 feather / few fibers)

How to tie it

  1. Start the olive thread and figure-eight a pair of burnt-mono eyes across the top of the shank a little back from the eye.
  2. Run the thread to the bend and tie in a short olive grizzly marabou tail no longer than half the shank.
  3. Tie in a strand of gold wire and 4-6 olive pheasant tail fibers by the tips at the bend.
  4. Wrap the pheasant tail forward to the eyes to form the abdomen; tie off, then counter-rib the gold wire forward in 5-6 turns and helicopter off the excess.
  5. Tie in a thin strip of olive foam just behind the eyes for the buoyant back, pointing forward.
  6. Dub a thorax of Pheasant Tail Ice Dub behind and around the mono eyes; add a few olive partridge fibers each side as legs to the hook point.
  7. Pull the olive foam strip back over the thorax and tie it down behind the eyes; add a pinch of UV Shrimp Pink Ice Dub in front as a hot-spot collar. The foam back keeps the fly hovering horizontally.
  8. Whip finish the small head and cement. Trim the foam back to a rounded tab.

Tying videos

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