Bodkin / Patterns

Rag Hex

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 3XL-4XL nymph (e.g. TMC 5263), 6-10
  • Thread Tan 6/0 (140 denier)

Materials

  • Bead chain eyes Black mono eyes small (1 pair)
  • Rag yarn / Ezee Bug (abdomen) Pale tan rag yarn ezee bug (1 length)
  • Mottled turkey (wingcase) Natural mottled turkey (2 slips)
  • Hare's ear dubbing (thorax) Tan-brown dry fly dubbing (pinch)
  • Rubber legs (Crazy Legs) Barred rubber legs (1 pair)
  • Epoxy or UV resin Clear uv resin (for wingcase)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread behind the eye and lash black bead chain eyes on top near the front. They add weight and a jigging wobble.
  2. At the bend, tie in a length of rag yarn and shape a soft extended abdomen about one shank long, spiraling thread forward through it for segmentation; leave it sinuous.
  3. Lay two stacked slips of mottled turkey over the shank pointing forward, reserved for the wingcase. Two layers keep the epoxy from bleeding into the thorax.
  4. Dub a fat tan-brown thorax from the 55% mark to behind the bead chain eyes.
  5. Tie a pair of Crazy Legs just behind the eyes, one splayed each side.
  6. Fold the turkey wingcase forward over the thorax and lock it behind the eyes; whip finish and snip.
  7. Color the top of the abdomen and thorax with a tan marker (belly stays pale), then coat the wingcase in epoxy or UV resin and cure.

Tying videos

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