by Bob Aid
April 20th, 1998
Photo Copyright & copy;1998 Jim Birkholm
Thanks for use perm ission.

Materials List:

Hook: #6 or #8 3 extra long.
Thread: Grass Green (or appropriate with body color).
Body: Grass-green dubbing (Super Fine) yellow, orange, gray or tan also work.
Rib: Brown saddle hackle, clipped short.
Tail: Red deer hair.
Wing: Long elk body hair.
Legs: Rubber, round, white or cream.

"Mr. X" is a version of the "Madam X" only it's a hopper pattern. Not many patterns are available with a green body and rubber legs. I like rubber legs on large dries like hoppers and stoneflies. So the "Mr. X" has both. Bob Aid

Tying Instructions:

1. Place hook in vise, crimp down barb. Wrap thread on rear two-thirds of hook shank. Cover shank well, as thread provides a firm base for tail and body materials. Bring thread to front of shank.

2. Take about 15 to 30 red deer hairs, from which you have removed the under "fuzz'. Align the tips and lay trimmed-even butts on top of hook shank, with the butt ends of the hair even with the front of the front wrapped thread.

3. Catch the ends of the hair down with thread, not tightly but snug. Work thread to bend of the hook. Do not allow deer hair to separate or roll under the shank. Hold with your index finger to provide stability to prevent rolling - too tight a thread will cause rolling.

4. Coat with a light application of head cement.

5. Tie in Super Fine dubbing and clipped brown hackle for rib at rear of shank.

6. Wrap the dubbing forward to form body.

7. Palmer the brown hackle, (clipped short) forward to form a segmented body. Tie the hackle forward to just short of the eye of the hook. Tie off.

8. Tie in clump of long elk body hair with the tips forward for wings. Wrap the tying thread right up to the eye of the hook. Pull the wing back so all the elk hair is on top of the fly. Wind the tying thread behind the eye about 1/4 to 1/3 of an inch back forming a bullet head.

9. Tie in the round rubber legs at the thread wrap behind the head. One length of round rubber about 3" long tied and cinched in the middle of the rubber strand, on each side of the fly so each forms a "V." Clip them longer than shorter. If too long y ou can always clip them on the river.

10. Whip finish - at the eye or behind the head, which ever you prefer.-BA