 |
Octoberby Rich Johnson
Pin-head Muddler
This pattern is a dry fly version of the ever popular Muddler Minnow
created by Don Gapen. Unlike the streamer version which was designed to
imitate sculpin (often called a muddler) this mini-version suggest a
downed insect on, or just under the surface. The Pin-head has performed
well on both lakes and streams when a general attractor is called for. |
 |
Hook: Dry Fly, standard #10 - 12 - 14 - ?
Thread: 8/0, and Danville Plus
Tail: Hen Pheasant, matched quill slips
Body: Flat Tinsel, gold (or dubbed fur)
Wing: Hen Pheasant, matched quill slips
Collar: Deer Hair Tips, flared
Head: Deer Hair, spun
|
 |
1) A word on materials for this fly.
- I prefer to use secondary flight feathers for all my Muddlers.
(Secondary flights are the ones with the rounded tips in the center
of the wing. Primary flights are the pointed quills at the end of
the wing.) It is important that the feathers come from each side of
the bird, and better yet in the same order off of the wing.
- On smaller flies such as the Pin-Head I like hen pheasant (shown
as the entire wing), as opposed to turkey quills (shown as matched
pair tied together). I’m able to get the mottling I like in a
smaller and finer fiber quill.
- The deer hairs shown are White Tail (the largest piece) which has
long thick hairs not very suitable for Muddlers, Mule deer and/or
Black Tail (the middle piece) which I use or my mid to large
Muddlers, and Coastal (shown with scissors) which fine textured and
can be found in short hair lengths. Coastal is the best for mini-muddlers
of any style.
|
 |
2) Create a thread base on the rear ¾ of the hook shank. This helps you
in not crowding the head and provides a base for the tail. |
 |
3) Cut a section of wing quill from both a right and left feather.
Measure the tail width at about half a gape width. Match the tips of both
sections and tie in so that the natural curve goes up. Pinch/loop your
first wrap and place each successive wrap in front of the previous wrap. |
 |
4) Trim the butts at a short taper and bind down as you bring your
thread forward. Tie in a piece of tinsel so that the gold side is to the
hook shank. (This is for a gold colored body.) |
 |
5) Wrap the tinsel back to the rear and then forward over itself. Tie
off and trim excess. (I’ve used dubbed fur bodies in place of tinsel
with great success, so try both on your fisheries.) |
 |
6) Cut a section of wing quill from both a right and left feather.
Measure the wing width at about a gape width. Match the tips of both
sections and tie in so that the natural curve goes down. Pinch/loop your
first wrap and place each successive wrap in front of the previous wrap.
(Note how the tail and wing come together and follow the same line… I
tie too many fancy patterns, but it sure looks good.) |
 |
7) Tie off with a four wrap whip finish and cut your 8/0 thread. Attach
the Danville Plus with one layer of thread to the rear. |
 |
8) Cut a small bunch of deer hair and stack the tips. Carefully placing
the hair bundle around both sides on the wing and hook shank, grip the
tips with your left hand and put two wraps of thread around the hair
bundle directly over the tie in spot. Holding the hair so that it does not
spin, tighten the wraps until the hair stops flaring. (It should look like
the photo at this point.) Using your finger tips stroke the butts back,
bring the thread through the hair, and put two tight wraps directly in
front of the flared hair. |
 |
9) Cut another small bunch of hair. Do not stack this bundle; set so
that the tips face forward over the front of the fly. Again, place two
wraps of thread around the bundle directly over the tie in spot. This time
allow the hair to spin around the shank as you slowly increase the tension
by tighten the wraps as you place a third wrap around the bundle. (This is
the fun part!) Once the hair has stopped spinning stroke the tips rearward
and place two tight wraps at the front of the hair. |
|
10) Whip finish a small head and cut your thread. Trim the deer hair
into a tapered bullet shape, being careful not to cut the hair tip collar.
A drop of liquid cement at the eye will help seal the thread wraps in the
deer hair. |
|
|
|
|