1st Annual N.G.T.O. Fly Swap

Fly photos courtesy of Michael Lim.

The Anytime Anywhere

from the vise of Beth Page

Hook:          heavy nymph hook size 12 or 14

Thread:     black

Tail:         Wood Duck fibers

Body:         black yarn or chenille

Weight:    lead wire

Hackle:      Grizzly hackle palmered over body

Directions

Thread / Weight:

- Wind thread onto hook. Wrap back to hook bend. Trim tag end. Wrap a length of fine lead wire onto the middle of the shank. Trim excess wire.

- Wrap thread forward and back over lead wire in open spirals, leaving a little space between each turn. Make several thread turns in front of wire to secure, ending at bend.

Tail:

- Select hackle fibers for tail.

- Pull a dozen or so fibers from stem. Grasp tips of fibers holding at a 90 degree angle from the stem. Size hackle fibers so they are slightly longer than the hook shank. Tail should be same length of hook shank when tied in.

- Position fibers on top of shank at hook bend. Tie in fibers with several soft loops. Make several thread wraps to secure fibers. Wrap forward to middle of shank. Tail should now lie directly on top of shank.

- Wrap thread back to bend.

Tie in Hackle:

- Select a hackle feather of the proper size. Trim webbed portion.

- Place butt of hackle alongside hook shank at bend, with tip facing back. Secure with several turns of the thread. Trim excess butt.

Body:

- Cut about an 8 inch section of yarn. Separate into major strands. Take a major strand and tie in at hook bend with several turns of thread. Wind thread forward over tag ends of floss to 1/8 inch behind hook eye.

- Grasp ends of strand; wrap around shank towards eye. Secure strands with several thread turns; Trim excess strands.

Hackle:

- Wind hackle forward over body in evenly spaced spirals, using hackle pliers.

- Secure hackle tip with thread. Trim excess tip.

Finish:

- Whip finish twice. Add a small dab of head cement to knot.

- Trim hackle evenly around shank.

Return to 1st Annual NGTO Fly Swap.