Bodkin / Patterns

Rio Bandito Johnson's

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook Medium-heavy wide-gape jig hook (TMC 403BLJ / Hanak 490BL), 8-16 (shown 14)
  • Thread Burnt orange 8/0-10/0 (Veevus)

Materials

  • Slotted tungsten bead Red bead (4mm for size 14)
  • Australian possum (tail) Crawfish orange
  • Sili Legs (legs) Pumpkin barred
  • Australian possum (body dubbing brush) Crawfish orange

How to tie it

  1. Slide a red slotted tungsten bead onto the jig hook and mount it. Start burnt-orange thread and build a small thread dam right behind the bead so it no longer slides; carry the thread back to just behind the hook point.
  2. Cut a small clump of crawfish-orange Australian possum and tease/pull out all the soft underfur, saving that underfur for the body; slim the clump down.
  3. Tie the possum tail in with a simple capture wrap at the rear, keeping it short (a touch less than one shank length), because crayfish-eating fish grab long tails.
  4. Tie in a set of pumpkin-barred Sili Legs along the sides.
  5. Spin the saved possum underfur into a dubbing loop (or onto the thread) to make a shaggy body brush and wrap it forward to behind the bead, building a buggy crayfish profile; stroke the fibers back as you go.
  6. Tie off behind the bead, brush the body out, whip finish and cement.

Tying videos

← All fly patterns