The red tag is as relevant today as when it was first invented some 140 years ago. It is perhaps the quintessential beetle imitation and is popular worldwide.
Materials
| Hook |
Thread |
Tag |
Body |
Hackle |
| Size 12 – 16 |
Black silk |
Red wool |
Peacock herl |
Greenwell hackle |
Process
| A |
- Wind the thread in touching turns from the 95% position to the bend of the hook.
[member Link=”p=10018″ Title=”Understanding hooks”]
- Tie in a tag equal in length to about 2/3 the gape of the hook.
[member Link=”p=674″ Title=”Tag tail detail”]
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| B |
- Tie in several strands of peacock herl.
- Form the herl into a herl rope.
- Wind the herl rope along the rear 2/3 of the hook shank to form an acorn shaped body.
- Trim the excess herl.
[member Link=”p=700″ Title=”Roping peacock herl”]
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| C |
- Tie a hackle in directly in front of the body
- Wind the thread forward to where the hackle body is to finish.
[member Link=”p=607″ Title=”Dry fly hackle”]
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| D |
- Wind the hackle forward in touching turns to the thread.
- Tie the hackle off at the thread and trim the excess hackle.
- Build up a neat head of thread.
- Whip finish and varnish the head.
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