Bodkin / Patterns

Popcorn Hex Cripple

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2X-heavy, 3XL dry/nymph hook, 6-8
  • Thread Yellow or olive 6/0

Materials

  • Antron (trailing shuck) Amber/olive antron (small bunch)
  • Krystal Flash Pearl flashabou (2 strands)
  • Body dubbing Pale yellow dubbing (small amount)
  • Emu or marabou (legs/gills) Natural emu or marabou (few fibres)
  • Deer hair (wing/head) Natural deer hair (1 clump)
  • Neck hackle Ginger or grizzly dry fly hackle (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread and tie in a stub of amber antron as a trailing shuck at the bend, about half a shank long, left ragged to mimic the nymphal husk.
  2. Add a couple of strands of pearl Krystal Flash over the shuck.
  3. Dub a fat, segmented-looking pale-yellow body forward two-thirds of the shank.
  4. Tie in a few emu (or marabou) fibres as sparse, mobile legs and gills at the front of the body.
  5. Stack a clump of deer hair and tie it in as a downwing over the thorax, tips reaching the bend, letting the butts flare.
  6. Trim the deer-hair butts to a short, blunt head so the front rides low and cripple-like.
  7. Wrap a ginger or grizzly neck hackle through the thorax in 3-4 turns, sweep the fibres, whip finish, and cement.

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