Bodkin / Patterns

Shady Lady

Salmon/Steelhead · Salmon · Steelhead · Intermediate · 2 versions

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Salmon single, 4-8
  • Thread Black 6/0

Materials

  • Tag Silver metal tape (small)
  • Body Black dubbing or floss (slim)
  • Rib Oval silver (spiral)
  • Wing Black squirrel or bear (sparse)
  • Hackle Black or blue hackle (collar)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the salmon single and start black thread behind the eye. Run it back to a point just short of the barb.
  2. Tie in a few turns of small silver oval or flat tinsel for the tag, right above the barb, and clip.
  3. Dub or wind a slim black body forward, stopping about one eye-length short of the eye. Keep it lean and slightly tapered.
  4. Bind in oval silver tinsel at the tail and spiral it forward over the body in 5-6 evenly spaced open turns. Tie off and clip.
  5. Cut, clean and stack a sparse pinch of black squirrel or bear. Bind it on top as a low wing reaching to the end of the tag, tips pointing back.
  6. Wind a black (or blue) soft hackle as a short collar, 2-3 turns, then sweep the fibers back and down with your thumb.
  7. Form a small neat head, whip finish and add a drop of head cement.

Other versions

1 more in the app: Fischer's Flies.

Tying videos

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