Bodkin / Patterns

Scott's Damsel

Nymph · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2-3XL nymph / curved, 10-14
  • Thread olive 8/0 (70 denier)

Materials

  • Marabou Olive marabou (1 small tuft (tail) + wingcase clump)
  • Olive dubbing Olive ice dub (small amount)
  • Gold wire Gold wire (fine, 1 length)
  • Mono or bead-chain eyes Black mono eyes small (1 pair (small))
  • Partridge Natural partridge (few fibers)
  • Wingcase strip (thin skin/turkey) Dark olive wingcase strip (1)

How to tie it

  1. Start the thread and wrap to the bend. Tie in a short tuft of olive marabou for the tail, only half a shank long. Damsel nymphs have a stubby three-paddle tail, so keep it sparse.
  2. Tie in the fine gold wire and a slip of olive marabou or dubbing; wrap a slim, slightly tapered abdomen forward to the 65% mark.
  3. Counter-rib the abdomen with the wire in 4-5 open turns for segmentation and durability; helicopter off the tag.
  4. Tie a small pair of mono or bead-chain eyes across the shank at the 80% mark for the wide damsel head.
  5. Tie in a dark wingcase strip pointing back, then dub a fatter thorax around and in front of the eyes.
  6. Sweep a few partridge fibers back along each side for legs, pull the wingcase over the thorax, and bind it down behind the eye.
  7. Whip finish and cement.

Tying videos

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