Adams Variant

Adams Variant

HOOK : Dry Fly, standard length. Tiemco 100 or equivalent. Size 10,12,14,16,18
Thread : 8/0 Uni Black
Tail: Deer Hair body
Abdomen : Grizzly rooster hackle, Yellow Ostrich herl
Wings : Grizzly tips
Thorax hackle : Grizzly and Brown rooster hackle

Directions :

Begin thread wraps two or three eyelengths back from eye and wrap tightly about one third of the length. Let the bobbin hang
Select two equal size grizzly hackle tips. Generally speaking, the excellent dry fly hackle we use has terrible tips for use as a wing. Spade or saddle hackle is much broader for the wing profile. The tips should be about the length of the hook shank. Strip a short section and tie in together with the “cupped” sides facing away from each other. Secure the tips, facing the hook eye with several wraps on top of the hook shank. Advance the thread to in front of the tips and pull upright by tensioning the thread in a parallel to the shank pull. Once they stand up, add several turns in front and behind to secure their place. Divide the wings using several ‘x’ wraps and take the thread in touching wraps to above the hook barb. Let the bobbin hang.
Select a small bunch of natural deer body hair and clean the underfur thoroughly. Stack and tie in on top of the hook shank with the length being about the same as the hook shank. When tying in use several light wraps for position. The deer should start at the wing and then extend beyond. This will make a smoother body without big lumps of varying materials. Once the position and length are good, tie in firmly, starting at the wings and moving to the above the hook barb (you may need to pinch the hair on top of the hook shank by using your left hand to keep it from rolling at first) and let the bobbin hang.
There is a short section of hackle immediately in front of the tail. Choose a size or even two smaller than “normal” for this section. When it is wrapped it should be smaller and not extend past the hook. You only need two or three wraps. Tie in, trim the waste and let the bobbin hang.
Select a piece of yellow ostrich herl with barbs not exceeding the hook when wrapped and tie in immediately in front of the grizzy. Advance the thread to the wings. Wrap the ostrich in touching turns to the thorax, tie off and trim the excess. Let the bobbin hang.
Select a brown and a grizzly rooster that are matching, not only in the length of the barbs but also in the diameter of the stems. Strip their tips and tie in behind the wings. Advance the thread to in front of the wings and let the bobbin hang. Advance the brown hackle leaving space in between turns for the grizzly. Tie in the brown in front of the wings leaving room for the eye. Trim the excess and repeat with grizzly. After trimming the grizzly form a nice head with thread, trim and apply head cement.