This has to be one of the easiest and most lethal fly's to tie when used on small still waters in winter and is a must for the beginner fly dresser or fisher.
This fly in combination with my other gold headed marabou bloodworm successfully won me my local winter league last year.
Although this fly has been shown on this forum before I believe in keeping the design simple by only using two strands of flexi floss i.e. four legs and no beads holds the advantage.
With this fly I try to use red blood hooks if I can as this adds a bit of a fourth dimension and some other advantages such as the hook blending into the fly to prevent those spooky hook shy fish. This particular hook is the Kamasan B170 R in size 12.
The tying floss is Glow Brite #3 and the flexi floss I use is wapsi as this stays straight and doesn't split like others.

Step One.
Start the floss with just a couple of turns and snip excess off.


Step Two.
Place two lengths of Flexi Floss along the hook and tie in. To get the lengths right, one length of Flexi Floss from the hank doubled over works nicely.


Step Three.
Wind the floss down to opposite the point of the hook and back up.


Step Four.
Whip finish and apply a coat of super glue.


Step Five.
Apply two more coats of clear nail varnish allowing them to dry between. coats


I find this fly best fished on a long leader with a floating line with a dead slow retrieve or static allowing the wind to drift it round.
If I find takes a bit thin on the ground I generally swap this pattern for my other gold headed marabou bloodworm to fish a bit deeper in the water.

I have just tied a batch of these bloodworms - but can't help thinking that my efforts look more like annacondas that those things I see wriggling in the water butt!
I have used 10lb power gum to tie them, but how long should each of the four "legs" be?

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Hi Jeremy,
If you want an exact measurement try 4cm protruding from both ends. Like I say I use one strand of wapsi flexi floss doubled over and cut in the middle.

i usualy have a rib in mine by using an extra strand of flexi but that should work all the same

A simple but very effective pattern, thanks.