Bodkin / Patterns

Native Muddler

Streamer · Salmon/Steelhead · Steelhead · Salmon · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Standard/heavy wet-fly hook (e.g. Fulling Mill Competition Heavyweight), 8-12
  • Thread Tan 8/0

Materials

  • Hen pheasant wing quill (matched slips for tail and wing)
  • Fine gold wire
  • Gold mylar tinsel
  • Roe deer hair Light natural roe deer hair

How to tie it

  1. Start tan 8/0 thread at the eye and lay a base back to a point in line with the barb.
  2. Tie in a matched pair of hen pheasant wing-quill slips for the tail, tips aligned, about one shank length long; trim the butts to the body length.
  3. Tie in fine gold wire at the tail, then wind the thread forward and back to bed the tail butts smoothly.
  4. Tie in gold mylar tinsel and wind a smooth gold body forward, stopping a few turns short so the tinsel stretches back to fill the taper; take a couple of securing turns and trim.
  5. Rib the body with the gold wire in about five open turns, put a 90-degree bend in the wire and tie it off well, then run the thread to the eye and back to leave a level base.
  6. Tie in a matched pair of hen pheasant wing slips over the top for the wing, slightly shorter than the tail, using a pinch-and-loop; add a few extra turns and press down on top to spread the wing roof-like.
  7. Trim the wing butts at a slight angle and wind a level thread base for the head.
  8. Cut, clean out the underfur, and stack a bunch of roe deer hair; spin it on just behind the eye so it flares into a collar with the tips as a false hackle and the butts as the head.
  9. Trim the spun deer hair to a rounded muddler head, leaving a collar of tips flowing back; whip finish and cement.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns