This fly is my adaptation of a fly tied by Dick (Uncle Dickie) Talleur. The fly I originally learned was the Pea-cabou Brown as seen in the Hooked on Fly Tying video, Classic Wet Flies and Nymphs. I chose to use olive because the color is great for Trout here in Nova Scotia. It mimics leeches and damsel/dragon fly nymphs.
Hook:
Mustad 9671 or 9672 Size 8-14
Thread:
Olive or Tan
Tail:
Olive Marabou
Underbody:
Lead Wire Substitute (optional)
Body:
Peacock Herl
Hackle:
Olive Marabou
Head:
Thread Color
Instructions:
The only thing special about this fly is the hackle at the front. This is the first piece of material you should tie in. You use Marabou to make the collar hackle. To do this you need to prepare the marabou in advance.
You want a feather that has a good portion of the barb tips even across the end of the feather. Most of these Marabou feathers have the stem go all the way to the tip of the feather. This stem will impair what you want to do with the Marabou. So you need to cut out that stem at the tip of the feather. I suggest you do not cut the stem back much farther than the length you need for the collar.
Now measure the Marabou for hackle length. Then cut of the back end of the stem as well. Make sure the tips of the Marabou are pointing out over the hook eye. The tie in point should be just a little to the rear of the eye. Tie in the marabou doing a light distribution wrap. This will spin the Marabou around the hook shank at the eye. Don't be afraid to use your fingers to help the Marabou spin. I usually tie the securing wraps right up to the behind the eye and then back a bit. You will understand why in a bit.
When you have done the fly body it is time to turn that Marabou into a collar hackle. This is simply done by working the thread up to just behind the hook eye. Then you use your left hand to pull the Marabou back over the body of the fly. When you have all the tips pulled back over the body, you start tying the thread in front of the Marabou. Now you have to bring the thread back over the Marabou causing it to stay pointing rearward like a collar. This is also the process of building the head of the fly. That is why I tie the original securing wraps up to right behind the eye. This puts the head in the correct place.
Of course you could always go buy the video and learn the technique from Uncle Dickie.
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