Wright's Royal was originally tied by Phillip Wright, who (among other things) started the Complete Fly Fisher Lodge on the Big Hole River. Original pattern has no tail but I saw Charlie Craven's version on http://www.flytyingclips.com/ and thought it looked cool so now it's got a tail and I slapped variation on it's name. Guess it could also be called a Royal Trude variation (I always tie Trude's with either calf tail or calf body); whatever.

hook - Dai Riki 320 #12
thread - Uni 8/0 black
tail - golden pheasant tippet
body/ - peacock herl/floss midsection
rib - x-small wire gold
wing - bleached elk
hackle - brown


Part 1


mash barb and attach thread at head (leave a hook eye width to prevent crowding)





tie in wire on underside of hook, tag end on the far side of the bend





wrap wire back to point above hook barb; by keeping the wire on the far side, thread wraps automatically align the wire neatly on the underside of the hook





measure a clump of golden pheasant tippets (shank length, maybe a tiny bit shorter); tie in and trim butts





tie in some peacock herl





twist with tying thread and wrap forward to 33% mark





tie off peacock and trim





tie in floss, stop thread wraps at 66% mark (try to keep it smooth)





wrap floss back to peacock, up to 66% and tie off





counterwrap wire through body and tie off