Bodkin / Patterns

Mosquito Red-Tail

Dry Fly · Trout · Grayling · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard dry-fly hook, 14-18
  • Thread Black 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Hackle fibers or floss Red hackle fibers (small bunch (tail))
  • Moose mane or stripped grizzly hackle stem Barred black/white moose mane or stripped grizzly stem (1-2 hairs (body))
  • Grizzly hackle-tip wings Grizzly hackle (2 (optional))
  • Dry-fly hackle Grizzly hackle (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread at the 70% mark and run a base to the bend.
  2. Tie in a short red tail at the bend, about a shank long, for the pattern's namesake accent.
  3. Bind in one or two barred moose-mane hairs (or a stripped grizzly stem) at the bend and wrap them forward in touching turns to make a slim segmented mosquito body, stopping at the 70% mark.
  4. If winging, tie in two small grizzly hackle tips upright and divided at 70%.
  5. Tie in a grizzly hackle at the wing and take 3-4 turns for a sparse, spiky collar.
  6. Whip finish at the eye and add a small drop of cement.

Tying videos

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