Description

The Brassie is an easy fly to learn to tie. It is a great beginner fly because it teaches the basics of tying a material on the hook and basic wrapping of materials. Trout, bass and panfish love this pattern. You can try different things like tying it with a bead head or use dubbing for the thorax in place of the peacock herl. You can even tie them with two colors of wire for a really cool body. The Brassie is a good pattern to match midge larva or caddis larva.Tie some up for your box and have fun fishing with them.

Materials

Hook: Tiemco 3761, Size: 14-20 or Tiemco 2488, Size: 14-22

Thread: Black 70 Denier Ultra Thread

Body or Abdomen: Ultra Wire (Copper, Red, Green, Black, Chartreuse, Pink or any color you would like)

Thorax: Peacock Herl

Head: Black Tying Thread

Step 1

Start by placing your hook in the vise.

Step 2

Start your tying thread on the hook shank approximately one hook eye length behind the eye.

Step 3

Take a length of Ultra Wire of your color choice and place it on the underside of the hook shank at an angle to the shank. This makes it easier to capture the wire with your tying thread. Take several wraps of thread over the wire.

Step 4

Slowly pull back on the wire and it will slide under the thread wraps. Pull it back so the end of the wire is right at the tie in point. This saves you from having to trim the wire and possibly dull your scissors.

Step 5

Wrap over the wire with your tying thread back to the starting point. This is the point on the shank that is right where the bend of the hook starts. Then wrap your thread forward towards the hook eye, stopping slightly in front of the mid point.

Step 6

Now wrap the wire forward to form the body. Make sure to wrap each turn directly in front of the previous wrap so there are no gaps between the wire wraps. Continue wrapping forward until you reach the point where your thread is at. Tie the wire off with your thread at this point with several secure wraps.

Step 7

Instead of cutting the excess wire with your scissors, hold the wire firmly in your fingers and while slighitly pulling away from the hook rotate the wire in a circular motion. This will cause the wire to break off right at the tie off point.

Step 8

Select 2-5 pieces of peacock herl to form the the thorax. Trim the tip ends even with your scissors. This will make it easier to tie them in.

Step 9

Hold the pieces of herl on your side of the hook at an angle with the tips pointing down towards the table top. Take a couple of soft thread wraps over the herl. Make sure not to make these wraps to tight.

Step 10

Now let your bobbin hang down and pull back slowly on teh peacock herl. It will slide under the two wraps of thread. Slide the ends back so they are behind the eye of the hook.

Step 11

Take a few additional wraps of thread over the ends of the peacock herl to secure it to the hook. Try to make the thread work as smooth as possible. This will make it easier to wrap the peacock herl for the thorax.

Step 12

Gently twist the peacock herl into a rope. Then wrap it forward starting directly in front of the wire body. Stop wrapping slightly behind the hook eye and tie off with your thread.

Note: If you notice you have made your body to long and it looks like you might crowd the  hook eye because you did not leave wnough room; simply make your first wrap of peacok back on top of the wire body to establish your proportion.

Step 13

Trim off the excess peacock herl. Make sure to trim as closely as possible to the hook shank.

Step 14

Make a few wraps of thread to build a small head and whip finish. Apply a small drop of head cement if you want to.

Step 15

Great job! You just completed a Brassie. This is one fly you do not want to leave home without.