Chadwicks Soft Hackle Nymph
Hook - Daiichi Model 1710/Size 12 (wet/nymph hook)
Underbody - UTC Ultrawire copper wire (Small) - 1/3rd of the length of the hook shank
Thread - 6/0 UNI-Thread (Tan)
Hackle - Hungarian Partridge (Natural)
Body - Chadwicks 477 Wool Yarn (Tan)
This fly is an adaptation of Frank Sawyer's "Killer Bug" nymph pattern. I have used the copper wire as an underbody to give the pattern weight and help form the taper of the body. The pattern is very easy to tye (see instructions below):
TYING INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Mount hook in vice
2) Wrap a single layer of small copper wire around the shank of the hook. The wraps should cover approximately one-third (1/3rd) of the hook shank. Clip off the exess wire and then use your finger nails to pack the wraps together tightly (close toughing turns). Slide the wire core up towards the front of the hook shank, but leave roughly one-eighth inch (~3 mm) to leave room for the head.
3) Mount your tying thread just behind the eye of the hook. Make only five wraps, to minimize thread bulk.
4) Prepare a partridge feather by stripping off the fuzz at the base of the feather. Tye in the feather by the stem. Leave a little bit of unhackled stem showing to make wrapping easier later. Slide the copper core forward until it touches the thread wraps.
5) Wind the tying thread gently over the copper core, and form a small thread ramp at the back edge of the wire. Wind the thread forwards to the front of the copper underbody. Special note - Using "gentle" thread wraps helps prevent the tying thread from forcing its way between the wraps of copper wire. The thread ramp at the back of the wire will help keep the wire in place and also help form the taper of the body.
6) Tye in the wool yarn over the top of the body. Firmly wrap the tying thread to the barb of the hook and back to the front of the body.
7) Wrap the wool yarn forward forming the body. Secure the wool with a couple turns of tying thread and trim off the excess.
8) Grasp the tip of the partridge feather in hackle pliers and fold the hackle fibers to one side. Wrap the hackle back towards the tying thread. One or two wraps should be adequate.
9) Secure the hackle by winding the tying thread though the hackle fibers. Wiggling the thread back and forth will prevent matting of the hackle fibers. Clip off the excess hackle.
10) Form a small head and whip-finish. Clip off the thread and add a small drop of head cement.
REPEAT PROCESS UNTIL YOU HAVE ENOUGH FLIES TO GO FISHING!
) the wraps together and place the core where the thorax of the fly will be. What's the advantage of this over a simple "wrap-in-place" for one-third of the hookshank?