Tying Tuesday: High and Low Patterns

This week’s Tying Tuesday features a big attractor dry, a deep-diving nymph, and a cool tube fly. (A reader recently requested a tube-fly video, and we aim to please.) We kick things off with a video from McFly Angler, who teaches us to tie the legendary Madam X, designed by Doug Swisher in the 1980s. This is a great attractor pattern, and one that works well in a dry-dropper setup. Next, Travis Hanson from AvidMax walks us through the steps to create a cool caddis nymph that’s extremely buggy. Finally, we serve up something a little different: a tube fly. The excellently named Håkan Karsnäser shows you how to set the tube in the vise, and then how to dress it up. The end result is an elegant tube streamer for salmon or trout.

Madam X
Hook: Curved-shank nymph/dry hook (here a Risen 2312), size 12.
Thread: Yellow, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Underbody/tail: Natural deer hair, cleaned and stacked.
Body: Tying thread, flattened.
Wing: Natural deer hair, cleaned and stacked..
Legs: Speckled yellow MFC Centipede Legs, medium.
Adhesive: UV-cure resin (here Solarez Ultra Thin).

Iced Apple Caddis
Hook: Shrimp/caddis-pupa hook (here a TMC 2487), size 12 or 14.
Bead: Silver bead, 5/32-inch.
Thread: Olive, 8/0 or 70-denier.
Body: Olive Micro Tubing.
Underbody: Silver Veevus Holographic Tinsel, medium.
Wing:  Brown Olive Scud Dub and Olive Ice Dub, mixed.
Thorax: Brown Olive Scud Dub and Olive Ice Dub, mixed.
Collar: Wapsi SLF Squirrel Dub.
Tools: Dubbing whirl, dubbing brush.

Silver Grey Tube Fly
Tube: Pro Sportfisher FlexiTube Clear.
Weight: Silver, 30mm.
Thread: White GSP.
Rear Hackle: Grizzly Soft Hackle.
Underwing: White marble fox.
Flash: Silver Angel Hair.
Front Hackle: Coq de Leon hen cape feather.
Wing: Natural silver fox.
Topping: Peacock herl.
Sides: Faux Jungle Cock, small.
Adhesive: Superglue.
Head: Silver cone.