MADSEN'S HEX SPINNER — Fly Pattern

deschaine · May 31, 2014, 12:00pm

Earl Madsen is no stranger to Michigan and to the Au Sable River. Back in the 1930s he was a guide on the river. He was Michigan’s first commercial tyer, as well as a river boat builder. He established several very famous fly patterns for Michigan waters — most of which are still used on the rivers! Today, I’d like to share with you one of his lesser known patterns, the Madsen Hex Spinner.

Materials:

Hook: Mustad #9672 Size: 4-8
Thread: White, 3/0
Tail & Body: White Buck Tail
Rib: White Hackle
Wings: White Hen Feathers
Hackle: White

Lay in a good base of thread. Tie in the white bucktail the full length of the hook, extending the tail out beyond the hook — one full hook length.

Run your thread to the rear of the hook. Tie in the hackle that you will be using to palmer the body. Secure with thread and then run your thread forward to the throat of the hook.

Palmer the hackle forward to the throat of the hook. This may require more then one hackle.

Secure with thread.

Now, trim the hackle short.

Using hen features, tie in your wings. Four feathers tied divided and wide, spent wing.

Tie in and wrap your hackle. Work the hackles between the wings so that one pair goes forward and the other pair of wings goes aft.

Tie off and secure your hackle with thread.
Be generous with head cement.

This extremely beautiful pattern is a little bit of a challenge to tie. But, if you are a night fisherman and stalker of the trophy trout, this is a must for your arsenal of evening fishing flies. This fly is all white. This is common for hex patterns and other night fishing flies because of its high visibility.

See you on the water…..
Tom Deschaine
~www.michigandryflies.net ~

For more great info, check out:

Originally published May 31, 2014 on Fly Anglers Online by Tom Deschaine.