Bodkin / Patterns

Pat's Rubber Legs

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 5 versions

Pat's Rubber Legs fly

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Standard nymph, 4x long, 6-10
  • Thread Brown 6/0

Materials

  • Body Brown and black variegated chenille (full length)
  • Legs Brown rubber legs (3 pairs)
  • Weight Lead wire (wrapped under body)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the 4x long hook and wrap 15-20 turns of lead wire along the shank. Cover the lead with thread and lock it with a few crisscross wraps.
  2. Tie in the variegated chenille at the bend.
  3. At the bend, tie in the first pair of rubber legs plus two tail legs. One antenna-style pair can go at the head later. Figure-8 each pair so the legs stand out perpendicular.
  4. Wrap the chenille forward, stopping to tie in a leg pair at midshank and again near the head. Three pairs total, evenly spaced.
  5. Wrap the chenille to just behind the eye, tie off.
  6. Whip finish. Every leg should stick out and quiver when you flex the fly. That shimmy is the whole pattern.

Substitutions

  • Body instead of Brown and black variegated chenille: Brown Squishenille — Slimmer profile, still buggy; Brown and olive variegated chenille — Different color scheme; Coffee and black variegated chenille — Darker variation; Tan and brown variegated chenille — Lighter, golden stone look
  • Legs instead of Brown rubber legs: Barred brown Sili Legs — More realistic barring; Pumpkin/orange rubber legs — Golden stone color variant; Black rubber legs — Darker stonefly look; Crazy Legs (barred brown) — Wiggle tips, more action
  • Weight instead of Lead wire: Lead-free wire — Non-toxic, required in some waters; Tungsten bead at head — Easier to tie, dives head-first; Double tungsten beads — Really gets down fast

Other versions

4 more in the app: Classic Recipe (2), Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 1, Fly Fish Food Tie, variant 2, Micro.

Tying videos

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