Halfback, Fullback SBS

[ScottP]

Backfield options - I-Formation, T-Formation, Wishbone? I've seen a lot of variations on these two - hackle/no hackle, shellback on the front/shellback on the rear. Whichever way, they make for interesting flies; the Halfback works as a river stonefly/general attractor nymph or a dragonfly nymph in stillwaters. Lots of steps are the same; things start to veer at midfield.

hook - Mustad 9671 #8
thread - UTC 140 black
weight - non-toxic wire .030
tail/shellback - pheasant tail fibers
body -peacock herl
rib - copper wire small
hackle - brown

Part 1 (Halfback)


mash barb and wrap midsection of shank with non-toxic lead sub





attach tying thread and make a smooth underbody





tie in wire rib




measure a clump (8-10) of pheasant tail fibers (hook gap distance) and tie in





wrap forward





fold butts back





smooth over






tie in peacock herl (8-10 fibers)





twist herl around tying thread and wrap forward to 60% mark (note tapered body; again, victory for the blind squirrel) and tie off





prep a saddle hackle (don't need dry fly quality) undersize by 2 (for this #8 hook, go with #12 saddle)

[ScottP]

Part 2 (Halfback)




wrap hackle back to tail, then wrap wire forward, trapping hackle; helicopter wire and wrap end






pull shellback fibers forward and tie off









tie in another hackle (undersize by 1)






tie in another clump of peacock herl






twist herl around thread, wrap forward and tie off






wrap hackle forward, tie off and apply cement






top view

[ScottP]

Part 3


we'll pick up the Fullback where the tail fibers are wrapped in






since the shellback extends the full length of the fly (hence the name), I need longer fibers so I can't bend the tail back; tie in another clump of Pheasant tail






tie in peacock






twist peacock with thread and wrap forward to head (I crowded a bit here; leave 1 hook eye gap)






tie in saddle hackle






wrap hackle to the rear, trap with wire and spiral rib forward






pull shellback forward






tie off, cement and you're done






top view





Regards,
Scott

[whatfly]

Nice tie, but odd bug. Any idea what the history of this fly is?

[ScottP]

Any idea what the history of this fly is?

Dunno. Charlie Craven (version presented in the SBS) says the Halfback's an older pattern used throughout Colorado/Wyoming. Phil Rowley, from Fly Patterns for Stillwaters, claims this version has it's roots in British Columbia:





Found this version (same fly without the tail) in Flies of the Northwest:







Saw another Halfback in Randall Kaufmanns' American Nymph Fly Tying Manual with hackle tail, peacock body, partridge wing and hackle beard. Apparently it's a name that gets around.

Regards,
Scott

[ScottP]

One other change I'll make is to make one wrap of wire to trap the hackle tip at the back end:




pull the shellback over the abdomen and then complete the ribbing; otherwise that pheasant could get shredded quickly (assuming the fish are interested). Same would apply for the Fullback.

Regards,
Scott

[LOJ_bugstuff]

Scott
This is one of the most successful patterns I have ever used and tied. I have been using it since the late 1970's.
If you can find a copy of "Fly Tyer Magazine" dated August 1981 There is an article written by the creator "Nathan Winter Streeter" that explains the way the fly was originally tied. It also says he created for the North Platte River in Wyoming. It was designed for the Dobsonfly and not as a stonefly as is generally believed . I got this from a personal conversation with Mr Steeter himself. But as he also said it works as "juicy morsel" especially for Brown trout. A very interesting article. Just thought I would pass it on.
Nice Tie and correctly tied per the original.
Regard,
Larry

[NJTroutbum]

Scott,

Great pattern and an effective one. I've not fished or tied the haflback in years. But still tie and fish the fullback. The only thing different that I do, is wrap the wire last and over-wrap the turkey as well.

Ralph