The Adams

Step by Step's

Step 1

Catch in the thread onto the hookshank just a little way down from the eye.

Take a pair of grizzle hackle tips (The ones used here are from a hen cape). Measure the hackle tips so they are the same length as the hookshank. Strip the fibres from the hackle stem below the measured length. These hackle tips will become the wing.

Step 3

Catch in the hackle tips, making sure that the hackles lie back to back. Do not snip the waste hackle stems but leave them facing forwards over the eye of the hook.

Step 4

Pull the hackle stem backwards down the hookshank and between the two hackles. This should split the hackles apart. Run the thread partly down the hookshank securing the hackle stem and trim waste. Run the thread back up to the hackles and perform a few figure of eight wraps around the stems to secure the hackles into position. The hackles should be slightly angled outwards but vertical when viewed from the side.

Step 5

Take a mixture of red game and grizzle cock hackle fibres and catch in for the tail. Try and keep the body as uniform as possible.

Step 6

Take a pinch of your prefered dubbing (I've used some Wapsi Adam's Gray Superfine Dubbing here) and create a fine rope on the thread.

Step 7

Create a tapered body up the hookshank, finishing the dubbing a small distance from the point where the hackles are tied in.

Step 8

Catch in a red game and a grizzle cock hackle with barbs of roughly the same length. Carefully, take both hackles together and wind towards the eye. Adjust the number of windings of the hackle to create either a sparse or bushy fly. Tie off the hackles at the eye, trim any waste, create a neat head and whip finish. Now varnish the head.