Bodkin / Patterns

Red Ass

Wet Fly · Trout · Grayling · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Wet fly / down-eye, 12-16
  • Thread Black 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Red floss or red thread Red floss (short fat butt)
  • Peacock herl Natural peacock herl (2-3 strands)
  • Oval tinsel wire Silver oval tinsel (rib)
  • Hen hackle Brown hen hackle (1 feather)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread behind the eye and wrap to the bend.
  2. At the bend build a short, fat butt of red floss (or several turns of red thread) about a hook-eye's width. This red 'ass' is the trigger.
  3. Tie in fine silver wire, then 2-3 peacock herls, and wrap the herl forward to the 80% mark for a plump body.
  4. Counter-wrap the wire forward in 4-5 open turns to armor the fragile herl, then helicopter off the tag.
  5. Tie in a brown hen hackle by the tip and take 2 soft turns for a sparse, swept-back collar.
  6. Form a small head, whip finish, and add one drop of cement.

Tying videos

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