Bodkin / Patterns

Soft Hackle Mop Fly

Wet Fly · Advanced · 1 version

Black Fly Creations Recipe

  • Hook Hanak 450 BL barbless jig hook, 14
  • Thread Black UTC 70 denier

Materials

  • Bead 3.8 mm slotted tungsten (1)
  • Body Mop chenille finger (1, shank length)
  • Hackle Rooster saddle, one side stripped (1 feather)
  • Collar Dubbing, rusty copper with flash (generous pinch)

How to tie it

  1. Slide the 3.8 mm slotted tungsten bead onto the size 14 Hanak 450 BL and build a small thread dam behind it.
  2. Dress the shank with a thread base.
  3. Cut a mop finger about the same length as the hook shank, position it hard behind the bead and secure it.
  4. Take a rooster saddle feather and strip the fibres from one side so hackle remains on one side only, then preen the remaining fibres back.
  5. Cut a very short tie-in point on the stem and tie the feather in. The fibres are long for a size 14, that is deliberate.
  6. Bring the thread up to the head and wrap the hackle forward two or three turns, catching it with the thread in front and behind, then trim the stem.
  7. Gather all the hackle fibres in your fingers and tidy them, sweeping them back.
  8. Dub a generous noodle of rusty copper flash dubbing and wrap it back up to the bead.
  9. Whip finish and trim.
  10. Brush the rusty copper flash out with a dubbing brush. It looks unimpressive dry, the fly moves once it is wet.

Tying videos

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