This is one of the most productive flies I keep in my box. I use it while fishing the South Platte River in Colorado. If I need a confidence boost, I slap one of these bad boys around. The large bead on the jig-style hook helps get your entire rig to depth quickly. It could be said that it most closely resembles a Crane Fly Larva. I love leading with this fly with another attracto,r such as a San Juan or an Egg. Trailed with a small imitative fly such as a Foam Wing Emerger or RS2 variant. 

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Step-by-Step Instructions:

Begin by setting the hook in the vice with the bead set behind the hook eye. Use locking wraps to see the thread directly behind the bead. Walk only a bead length back and then return. Repeat this a few times. Creating a transition area that will help to secure the bead in place.

Next, trim off an inch and a half of the Mop Chenille. You can choose to tie in the material first, as shown above. It can be more difficult to trim the back end afterward. Tan is my confidence color, but chartreuse, white, and gray all work well. Burn both ends of the material. This helps slow the process of the fly coming apart. Secure the material behind the bead and lock it into place.

The collar is the “buggy” part of this fly. Create a dubbing loop with the thread by doubling it over. Two to three inches is enough for this fly. Fan out and place the dubbing into the dubbing loop. Spin the loop to create a dubbing noodle.

Brush out and comb free and loose fibers from the dubbing noodle. Wrap the noodle around the collar firmly. If not wrapped, the fly will sometimes slide off while fishing.

Whip finish behind the bead. Be sure to snug this firmly. A slight amount of super glue or head cement is great for keeping it locked in place.