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Classic Wet Fly: Yellow and Partridge

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Yellow and Partridge Soft Hackle

Yellow and Partridge Soft Hackle

Classic Wet Fly: Yellow and Partridge Soft Hackle

Hook: Standard Light Wire Dry Fly or Stout Wet Fly Hook, sizes 10 to 20
Abdomen: Yellow Floss
Rib: Fine Copper Wire
Thorax: Hare’s Ear Dubbing
Collar: Hungarian Partridge

Notes: Use light-wire standard dry-fly hooks for some and stout wet fly hooks for others. This will give you the ability to fish in the surface film, or deeper depending on the hook.

The thorax of hare’s ear dubbing should be dubbed large enough so that it can support the soft hackle -the thorax is there primarily to prevent the partridge hackle from collapsing against the body.

I like the effect of using a copper rib for the appearance of segmentation – not all tyers do this. I feel more confident fishing it with the ribbing though.

Make sure to tie the partridge in very sparse – stripping the hackle fibers from one side of the feather can help to keep it sparse.

Fishing Notes: I haven’t fished this color variation  as much as the Green and Partridge.  I include it though because I’ve  had success with it during  yellow crane-fly activity.  I haven’t yet used it for the Sulphur Hatch, however Dave Hughes in his book Wet Flies, recommends it for this.

Classic Wetfly: Green and Partridge Soft Hackle

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Green and Partridge Soft Hackle

Green and Partridge Soft Hackle

Classic Wet Fly: Green and Partridge Soft Hackle

Hook: Standard Light Wire Dry Fly or Stout Wet Fly Hook, sizes 12 to 20
Abdomen: Green Floss
Rib: Fine Copper Wire
Thorax Hare’s Ear Dubbing
Collar: Hungarian Partridge

Notes: Use light-wire standard dry-fly hooks for some and stout wet fly hooks for others.  This will give you the ability to fish in the surface film, or deeper depending on the hook.

The thorax of hare’s ear dubbing should be dubbed large enough so that it can support the soft hackle -the thorax is there primarily to prevent the partridge hackle from collapsing against the body.

I like the effect of using a copper rib for the appearance of segmentation – not all tyers do this.  I feel more confident fishing it with the ribbing though.

Make sure to tie the partridge in very sparse – stripping the hackle fibers from one side of the feather can help to keep it sparse.

Fishing Notes: I’ve used this fly successfully for both Blue-Winged-Olive and caddis hatches.  In the case of the BWO hatch,  I fish it dead-drifting just below the surface – generally with no added movement.

For caddis hatches I fish it in more varied ways: dead-drifting, swinging, rising.  Let the situation dictate the action – try different tactics till you figure it out.

Classic Wet Fly: Hardy's Favorite

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Hardy's Favorite Wet Fly

Hardy's Favorite Wet Fly

Classic Wet Fly: Hardy’s Favorite

Hook: Wet Fly Hook, sizes 6 to 14
Body: Burgundy or Red Floss*
Rib: Peacock Herl*
Tail: Golden Pheasant Tippets, Ringneck Pheasant substituted here
Wing: Female Golden Pheasant Tail (traditionally), Turkey used here
Throat: Partridge or Similar
*Other recipes call for a peacock herl body with a floss rib. The effect is similar, and maybe a little more robust.

Created in the 1870′s by James Hardy of the Hardy Brothers tackle company. I guess it was his favorite. I liked this pattern as soon as I saw it. It has that combination of red and peacock herl that fish seem to love. It may become a favorite of mine as well. I could imagine it with different color floss bodies and maybe an antron wing.

I originally found this pattern in The Art of Fly Tying by Claude Chartrand. This is a nice little book. I wouldn’t reccomend it as your first fly tying book however. But it makes a nice addition to your library. I particularly liked the a section on extended body techniques. Also I was inspired by the good selection of classic streamers and wet flies in the pattern index.



Classic Wet Fly: Pass Lake

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Pass Lake Wet Fly

Pass Lake Wet Fly

Classic Wet Fly: The Pass Lake

Hook: Wet Fly or Streamer Hook, sizes 8 to 16
Body: Black Chenille  (use ultra-chenille or dubbing for small sizes)
Tail: Brown Hackle, alternatively golden pheasant tippets
Wing: Calf-tail (traditionally), antron used here
Collar: Brown Hen Hackle

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Classic Wet Fly: The Alexandria

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Alexandria Wet Fly

Alexandria Wet Fly

The Alexandria: A Classic Wet Fly from England

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