I think everyone’s got one something like this in their river wet fly box. A smaller shiny one with a black hackle and some sort of reflective material for the body e.g . pearly mylar etc. This is one I use. Handy when they’re on Blackfly and the like.

Dressing


Hook : Tiemco 501, or 2488 #22
Thread: Black or brown. Pretty fine. I use Gudebrod 10/0 here.
Body : 1 strand Lureflash “Twinkle”, black or dark brown.
“Thorax”: a little lump of Ice Dub, “Peacock“. Or similar.
Hackle: Small feather from outside of a Magpie wing.





Method (Black version) (TMC 501)

1. Tie in thread, fiddle about for a while trying to catch in the hackle by the fine tip. You may prefer to catch it in by the other end.



2. Catch in twinkle (either trim the eyewards end now, or try to drag it shorter as you take the thread to the rear, below)



3 Carry the twinkle to the rear, atop the hook shank.



4. Take the thread back up to around 3/5ths of the way up the shank



5 Lock the twinkle in your hackle pliers. Looking to the floor spin it clockwise into a tight cord. You may find that you end up unwinding the cord first. Just keep going. Wind the cord up the body in butting turns . Tie off.





6. Dub a little ball of Ice Dub. About half-a-dozen filaments go a long way.





7. Sweep back the hackle fibres, then wind them on. One full turn. And a little bit more. Whip finish

Job done.





Brown version (TMC 2488)







Fun to tie if you want a break from all those baitfish imitations



Hope you like....................


Cheers,

.D.

That'll catch like crazy on the Wye - thanks v much, will tie some tonight.