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)
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
Well done Scott. I am glad you posted the SBS of the Halfback. My version has morphed into something unrecognizable in the past 20+ years. At one time the Halfback was my go to pattern on my local rivers. I believe the fish took it as a Stone nymph. I always fished it near or on the bottom.
When fishing lakes I believe the trout took it as a Dragonfly nymph, but I am only guessing. In any case thank you for posting the SBS on the Halfback. I may have to revisit it again.
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.
Scott, your version of the Halfback is what I tied back in the 80’s. I was made aware of both the Half, and Fullback at the same time. The Fullback just never performed for me as well as the Halfback so I stopped using it.
I will try to post a picture of what my pattern morphed in to. I plan on going back to the original like yours.
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.
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
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.
