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Partridge Breadcrust

 
tied by Soft-hackle
Fly Type: Wet,
Material List:

Partridge Breadcrust

Hook: Mustad 3399A #12 or similar
Thread: 8/0 Orange Uni Thread
Hackle: Partridge
Body: two feathers taken from the Bastard Wing area of the Partridge.
Tying Instructions: Prepare the body feathers from the partridge by stripping the dark fibers off the stem leaving the mottled brown fibers. With a scissors, trim these fibers short and close to the stem. Cast the thread on the hook. Attach the hackle so the tip is out over the eye. Wrap the thread down the shank evenly.

Tie on the two prepared feathers by their tips. Wrap the thread back down the shank evenly to just short of the hackle. Wrap the furthest stem first at regularly spaced intervals, as if palmering, but a bit closer. Tie off well, and trim excess.

Wrap the second feather stem between the wraps of the first. The barbs of both stems should stand out as shown. Tie off and trim excess. If needed, the body fibers can be clipped further to shape at this point.

While holding in the bobbin to the far left (for right handed), wrap the hackle, two complete turns, back toward the thread. Bring the thread forward wrapping down the hackle, going through the fibers to secure, and bringing the thread in front of the fibers. If desired, the hackles can be stroked back with the non-tying hands thumb and forefinger and locked into position by slightly overwrapping them. Whip finish and add cement.


Presentation Tips: I've been fishing this fly for a couple years, now, as I liked the Bread-Crust tied using split, clipped grouse tail. However, tying the fly using this feather was a real pain. So I substituted partridge wing and hackle and found it easier to do. The Bread-Crust, tied this way, or the old way is murder on my home river. I fish it upstream, dead drift, standard nymphing methods, with the Leisenring Lift, on the swing or with an active retrieve.