Bodkin / Patterns

Picky Fish

Nymph · Trout · Advanced · 1 version

Tyer Recipe

  • Hook Hanak 450BL (jig nymph) or Umpqua XT 450, #16-20
  • Thread Olive Dun 72 denier

Materials

  • Slotted tungsten bead Silver bead (1 (2mm or 2.5mm, undersized))
  • Coq de Leon Natural coq de leon fibers (10-12 fibers (tail))
  • Stripped peacock quill Olive peacock herl dyed (1 (body))
  • Squirrel dubbing Natural hare s ear dubbing (small pinch (thorax))
  • Glo-Brite floss #5 Fluorescent glo brite floss (hot spot)
  • CDC Natural cdc feathers (2 feathers (collar))
  • Zap-A-Gap (body coat)

How to tie it

  1. Slide an undersized silver tungsten bead onto the hook. Hold a thread tag against the back of the bead and build a thread dam to center and jam the bead forward, then run a smooth thread base to the bend.
  2. Tie in 10-12 Coq de Leon fibers, tips squared, for a tail about one shank-length (or slightly shorter). Wrap forward over the butts to a smooth underbody.
  3. Cut a stripped peacock quill roughly in half and tie it in by the wider (dark-edged) end, dark edge down, then wrap back over it to the tail and forward again for a smooth underbody.
  4. Coat the underbody with a light film of Zap-A-Gap top and bottom, then wrap the quill forward in slightly overlapping turns (dark edge on the back of each turn) to create a segmented body; tie off and trim. Do not resin-coat the quill.
  5. Dub a small ball of squirrel dubbing behind the bead for a thorax, just three turns.
  6. Tie in a short length of #5 Glo-Brite floss behind the thorax, centering it in the notch of the bead, and secure both ends back for a hot spot.
  7. Make a dubbing loop, insert a bundle of natural CDC fibers (broken to even the tips), spin it into a CDC brush, wrap it as a collar behind the bead, and stroke the fibers back.
  8. Whip finish behind the bead and clip the thread.

Tying videos

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