Bodkin / Patterns

Orange Miller

Wet Fly · Trout · Intermediate · 2 versions

Classic Recipe

  • Hook standard wet fly (e.g. Mustad 3906), 10-16
  • Thread black 8/0

Materials

  • Tag Fine gold wire (small)
  • Tail Scarlet ibis (or red-dyed) fibers (small bunch)
  • Body Orange Wool (full shank)
  • Rib Oval gold tinsel (4-5 turns)
  • Hackle White hen hackle, as a collar/beard (1)
  • Wing White duck or goose quill slips (matched pair)
  • Head Black ostrich herl (small)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a thread base and form a fine gold wire tag, then tie in a short tail of scarlet ibis (or red-dyed) fibers.
  2. Tie in the oval gold rib, then wrap a smooth orange wool body forward.
  3. Spiral the oval gold rib forward in 4-5 even turns to segment the orange body.
  4. Wind or tie in a white hen hackle as a soft collar/beard swept down.
  5. Set matched white duck or goose quill slips as a low downwing over the body, the bright white wing over an orange body is the signature contrast of this Miller.
  6. Whip finish a small black head and cement.

Other versions

1 more in the app: Gregg Dressing (1940).

Tying videos

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