Bodkin / Patterns

Little Black Sloan

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2XL-3XL nymph/stonefly hook, 12-16
  • Thread Black 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Tungsten bead (optional) Black bead (1, sized to hook)
  • Goose or turkey biots (tail) Black goose biots (2)
  • Wire rib Copper or black wire (1 length)
  • Nymph dubbing (abdomen) Black dubbing (pinch)
  • Thin Skin or mottled turkey (wingcase) Black / dark mottled thin skin or turkey (1 slip)
  • Ice dub or hare's ear (thorax) Black dubbing (pinch)
  • Rubber legs or partridge (legs) Black hen hackle (2-3 fibers per side)

How to tie it

  1. If using a bead, seat it at the eye, then lay a thread base back to the bend.
  2. Split two black biots as a short forked tail, no more than half a shank long, and bind a wire rib in at the same point.
  3. Dub a slim abdomen forward over the back two-thirds of the shank, then counter-wrap the wire rib in 5-6 open turns and tie off. Counter-wrapping locks the segmentation in place.
  4. Tie in a wingcase slip of Thin Skin or mottled turkey pointing back over the abdomen.
  5. Dub a slightly fatter thorax, then fold the wingcase forward over it and pin it down behind the bead or eye.
  6. Fold in a couple of black rubber-leg or partridge fibers on each side, splayed for movement.
  7. Whip finish and cement the wingcase tie-down.

Tying videos

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