Hackle Grizzly Olive Whiting Rooster Cape or Saddle
How to tie it
Start the Olive UTC 70 thread and take it about a quarter of the way back from the eye.
Tie in the Grey McFlylon there for the parachute post and wrap the thread up the post parachute-style, about two hook-eye lengths high — that is a bushy post, which suits a green drake.
A few wraps back from the post, tie in stacked Moose Body Hair — six or seven fibers only — measured one shank length long. Spiral the thread back down the shank over the butts, trim them out, and build a slight taper, keeping the moose sitting right on top of the shank.
Tie in a strand of Pearl Krystal Flash along the side of the shank and carry it all the way back to the tail; let it hang for now.
Twist Olive Hareline Dubbing tightly onto the thread and build a slightly tapered body forward, up to the parachute post.
Take the first turn of the Krystal Flash underneath the tail to prop it up, then counter-wrap it forward in even open spirals — counter-wrapping props the tail and keeps the rib from unravelling — and capture it at the post, trimming the excess.
Size a Grizzly Olive Whiting High and Dry rooster saddle hackle so the barbs just reach the back of the fly, strip off the fluff at the base, and tie it in at the front of the hook, wrapping the thread all the way to the post. Draw the post and the hackle up together and wrap them as one.
Take the thread to the eye and dub the head with the same olive dubbing, starting very sparse right at the eye and building up as you work back, and take a few turns around the post so the head blends seamlessly into the body.
Let the thread hang on the far side, separate the hackle from the post, start it at the top and angle it down, creeping the turns down the post.
Carefully creep the thread underneath all the hackle fibers to tie off, and trim out any fibers trapped in the quill; whip finish.
Untwist the McFlylon rope with your scissors so the post looks seamless, pull out any curly fibers, and trim the post — leave it fairly long on a green drake.