Bodkin / Patterns

Little Thing

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard nymph/wet-fly hook, 14
  • Thread Brown 8/0

Materials

  • Hungarian partridge fibers (7-9 (tail))
  • Copper wire (medium (rib))
  • Peacock herl (a few strands (shellback/wing case))
  • Hare's-mask dubbing Light (abdomen)
  • Hare's-mask dubbing Dark (thorax)
  • Head cement

How to tie it

  1. Start the brown thread and wrap a base back to between the hook point and the barb.
  2. Tie in 7-9 Hungarian partridge fibers for the tail, then wrap the butts forward to build a slim, even body base.
  3. Tie in a length of medium copper wire for the rib.
  4. Tie in a few strands of strong peacock herl by the tips at the rear, pointing out the back. This becomes the shellback and wing case.
  5. Dub a thin, tapered abdomen with the lighter hare's-mask dubbing about two-thirds of the way up the shank.
  6. Pull the peacock herl forward over the top of the abdomen and tie it down.
  7. Rib the abdomen forward with the copper wire in an open spiral, then helicopter off the excess.
  8. Fold the remaining peacock strands back out of the way and dub a slightly darker hare's-mask thorax.
  9. Pull the peacock forward over the thorax as a wing case, tie it off and trim the excess.
  10. Build a small head, whip finish, and work in a drop of water-based head cement for durability.

Tying videos

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