BELL'S HEXAGENIA
By virtue of the fact that you're a trout fisherman, that's also synonymous with being a 'hex hunter'. The hexagenia limbata is a major hatch occurring in most of the trout waters of the USA. Here's an absolutely must try pattern!
Materials:
- Hook: Mustad #9672 3XL Size: 6-8
- Thread: Brown, 6/0
- Tail: Pheasant Tail Fibers
- Body: Pale Yellow Wool
- Wing: Calftail
- Hackle: Brown
Step #1
Lay in a good base of thread.
Step #2
Secure your pheasant tail fibers to the rear of the hook. Three to five fibers.
Step #3
Wrap the body wool forward and secure with your thread. Leave a little more room then usual for the wing and the hackle.
Step #4
The calftail wing should extend beyond the hook to the end of the tail. The wing is tied split wing, delta-style.
Step #5
The creator of this pattern wants the hackle to be tied really heavy. Tie in three brown hackles. Secure with thread and tied off the head. Be generous with head cement.
This really great pattern came out of the vice of Mr. Jim Bell of Muskegon, Michigan. He developed this pattern back in the late 1980s. The pattern has everything going for it. It's easy to tie and uses common materials that most fly tyer would have on hand.
As far as fishing is concerned; it meets the three basic rules of any 'hex' pattern --- the silhouette is right --- it floats --- it's visible!
See you on the water…..
Tom Deschaine
~www.michigandryflies.net~
For more great info, check out:
Beginning Fly Tying | Intermediate Fly Tying | Advanced Fly Tying.