Bodkin / Patterns

Soft Hackle March Brown

Wet Fly · Trout · Grayling · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook wet fly (Partridge Captain Hamilton or similar), 10-14
  • Thread brown or dark olive 8/0

Materials

  • Rib Fine gold wire or oval tinsel (1)
  • Body Dark hare's-ear / hare's-mask fur (as needed)
  • Hackle Brown (grey) partridge (1)
  • Tail (optional) Brown partridge fibers (few)

How to tie it

  1. Lay a thread base and tie in the fine gold rib at the bend (add a few partridge tail fibers if you want a tail).
  2. Dub a slim, slightly spiky dark hare's-fur body over the rear two-thirds.
  3. Counter-wrap the gold rib forward in 4-5 evenly spaced turns for segmentation and to reinforce the fur, then tie off.
  4. Select a brown partridge feather, hold it by the tip and stroke the fibers back so they'll reach just past the hook point.
  5. Tie it in by the tip and take one to one-and-a-half sparse turns as a soft-hackle collar, then sweep the mottled fibers back.
  6. Build a small head and whip finish; pick out a little body dubbing to make it buggier.

Tying videos

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