Bodkin / Patterns

Old Crow

Streamer · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook 3XL curved-shank streamer hook, #6-12 (tied on a #8)
  • Thread Black 52 denier (a heavier thread would make the head easier)

Materials

  • Lead-free wire 0.028 as tied (0.020 also works) (Enough wraps to cover about half the shank)
  • Ostrich herl tips (tail) Black ostrich herl (Four or five tips)
  • Yarn (rear body) Black yarn (Two strands of a four-strand acrylic or wool yarn)
  • Chenille, medium (front hot spot) Red chenille (Two to two and a half wraps' worth, core stripped at the tie-in)
  • Crystal Flash Pearl flashabou (Two strands, folded to give four)
  • Ostrich herl (wing) Black ostrich herl (10-12 herls, long)

How to tie it

  1. Pinch the barb, mount the hook and wrap lead-free wire over roughly the middle half of the shank.
  2. Start black thread, build small thread dams behind and in front of the weight, take a few wraps over it, and leave the thread at the back about where the barb used to be.
  3. Tie in four or five ostrich herl tips as a tail (modest length, but not insignificant) and trim the butts.
  4. Tie in two strands of black yarn and wrap a slim body forward, stopping just in front of the weight to leave room for the hot spot, then tie off and trim.
  5. Strip the fibers from the end of a piece of medium red chenille and tie the bare core in, then take two (or two and a half) wraps as a red hot spot and tie it off.
  6. Add a few extra thread wraps to thicken the front slightly so the next material does not prop straight up, then tie in two strands of Crystal Flash, fold them back over themselves to give four strands, secure and trim them to about the length of the wing.
  7. Tie in 10-12 long black ostrich herls as a down wing, reaching back to about the end of the tail. Wet your fingers and mat them together as best you can. They will still stick out in all directions and that is fine.
  8. Build a big streamer head over the butts, whip finish and cement. Trim the ends of any wildly errant herl if you want, though it is not necessary.

Tying videos

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