Halfback
Tying instructions:
- Start the thread behind the eye and wrap back to the mid point on the shank.
- Cover the front half of the shank with one layer of lead wire, leaving two eye lengths of space behind the eye. 12 turns of .02" diameter is about right on a size 10.
- Wrap over the wire to hold it secure, and drizzle some head cement on the wire, if you like, to prevent discoloration.
- Wrap back to the bend, and tie in a clump of pheasant tail fibers. Wrap over the fibers back to the rear of the lead wire. Fold the butts of the pheasant back toward the tail, and wrap over them again back to the bend. (This operation locks in the pheasant tail, and helps equalize the diameter of the body over which you will complete the fly.) Leave the butts untrimmed.
- Tie in a good saddle hackle, and a few peacock herls. Use whatever way you prefer to reinforce the herl--I spin the herl in a dubbing loop to form a chenille of herl, reinforced by the spiraled thread.
- Wrap the tying thread forward to mid shank and let it hang.
- Wrap the herl forward to the thread and tie it off with a couple of firm wraps. Do not trim the butts of the herl.
- Palmer the hackle forward to the thread (3 turns is enough for most sizes) and tie it off with a couple of wraps. Do not trim the hackle.
- Trim the top of the hackle fibers from the abdomen area.
- Pull the butts of the pheasant fibers over the top of the abdomen and tie down at the mid shank point. Wrap forward over the pheasant fiber butts to behind the eye, and trim.
- Continue wrapping the peacock herl forward, tie off and trim.
- Continue palmering the hackle forward, (again, only 3 turns is usually plenty) tie off and trim.
- Wrap a compact head, and whip finish.