Hook - Mustad 3906/Size 12
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Rusty Dun)
Hackle - Hungarian Partridge Feather (Dyed Dark Blue Dun)
Body/Tail - Three Strands of Ostrich Herl (Natural Gray)
PHOTO TUTORIAL/TYING STEPS
- Mount hook, then attach the tying thread at the eye with five firm wraps. Trim off the waste tag end.
- Tye in the partridge hackle by the stem, wrapping back to the middle of the hook, then trim off the hackle stem. Wind the tying thread forward to the eye, in preparation for tying in the ostrich herl fibers.
- Trim off three strands of ostrich herl fibers, making sure to keep the butt ends even.
- Rotate the herl fibers to align the butt ends towards the bend of the hook, and tips hanging out over the eye of the hook. Tye down with firm wraps to the midpoint of the hook and trim off the waste butt ends.
CONSTRUCTION NOTE: Tying in the hackle and herl to the midpoint of the shank, helps slightly build up the underbody at the front end of the fly. By tying in the herl by the butt end, and wrapping it backwards, you take advantage of the natural taper of the herl fibers, which helps form a nice tapered body.
- Wrap the tying thread back to the bend of the hook. Use close touching wraps to form a smooth underbody.
- Grasp the ostrich herl fibers together and wrap the fibers in close touching wraps back to the bend of the hook. The wraps should be in the same direction as your wraps of tying thread (in my case everything is wrapped "up-and-over" the hook shank).
- When the herl reaches the hook bend, secure with two firm thread wraps then spiral the tying thread forward to the eye of the hook. The tying thread cross wraps the herl, forming a very durable body (no need for additional glue/head cement). I carefully use the edge of my tying scissors to break off the excess ostrich herl to the tail length I want. Just pull the tail section straight, then quickly draw the sharp edge of your scissor blade at right angle to the tail section. The fibers will break off, leaving a more natural looking end (cutting leaves an unnatural square end).
- Grasp the tip of the partridge hackle in hackle pliers, then carefully fold the fibers back before wrapping forward. Two to three turns of hackle will be plenty.
- Tye off and then break off the hackle tip. Whip finish the head (two overlapping whip finishes of three to four wraps each). Add a small drop of head cement or clear nail polish for added durability.
Very simple, yet durable construction for a herl bodied soft hackle fly. Works equally well with strands of peacock herl and other hen hackles.
