Brassie, Ribbed
A variation to the classic pattern, the tag end of the wire is wrapped back up along the body to provide more weight and add a distinct segmentation effect. A thorax is created out of peacock herl, but any dark dubbing could be used.
- Submitted By: Fly Tying Guide
Materials
1
Place the hook in the vise.
2
Start the wire by taking a single wrap about the middle of the shank, leave a long enough tag end on the wire so you will be able to wrap it back along the body once it is formed.
3
Gently pull the ends of the wire to tighten it on the hook shank, and then begin taking wraps towards the eye. If you are having difficulty gripping the tag end of the wire, using a pair of hackle pliers might be easier.
4
Continue wrapping the wire, as you near the eye of the hook use your thumbnail to push the wire wraps back along the shank until they are about a quarter way down the bend. This is easier than avoiding the hook point while wrapping and also helps to eliminate any gaps in the wraps. End the wraps about a hook eye length behind the eye.
5
Wrap the tag end back along the body in even open wraps until you reach the start of the body.
6
Using a old pair of scissors, snip off the wire close to the shank and then use your thumbnail or something hard like the flats of your scissors to press the ends of the wire down so it sits flush on the hook shank.
7
Start your thread on the body near the eye and take wraps back until your thread is just before the hook point, about a quarter of the hook shank length back.
8
Catch in one or two peacock herls by their tips and remove the tag ends, leave the thread near the hook eye.
9
Wrap the herl along the shank to form the thorax, secure near the eye and remove the tag end.
10
Form a small head with thread, whip finish and apply head cement. On small flies it can sometimes be easier to add a little head cement to the thread before whip finishing.