Tying Tuesday: Simple Subsurface Flies

This week’s Tying Tuesday features three patterns for very different purposes, but they all share one benefit: they’re easy to tie. We kick things off with an elegant March Brown Soft Hackle from Barry Ord Clarke, who walks you through the steps to ensure that you’ve created a durable imitation that has plenty of movement in the water. Next up, a friendly AI voice demonstrates an even simpler way to tie a Woolly Bugger, substituting a new material, Fasna Halo Straggle, for the standard chenille-and-palmered-hackle body of the original pattern. Finally, we don’t post many panfish flies, but this buggy damsel by my old friend Rob Streeter looks like a real winner.

March Brown Soft Hackle
Hook: Heavy-wire nymph hook (here, a Mustad Heritage S80), size 10.
Thread: Brown Sheer, 14/0.
Tail: Wood duck flank fibers.
Rib: Gold oval tinsel, medium.
Adhesive: Thread wax.
Body: Hare’s ear dubbing.
Hackle: Brown speckled partridge hackle.
Head: Tying thread.

EZ White Woolly Bugger
Hook: Barbless streamer hook (here, a Fasna F900), size 8.
Bead: Silver Tungsten, 4mm.
Thread: Fluorescent green, 6/0 or 140-denier.
Tail: White Marabou.
Body: Fluorescent chartreuse Fasna Halo Straggle.

Panfish Damsel
Hook: Standard Bass Stinger Hook, size 10.
Bead: Black, 3/16-inch.
Thread: Black, 8/0 or 70-denier.
Tail: Olive/Black barred hen hackle fibers.
Rib: Olive wire.
Adhesive #1: Thread wax.
Body: Dark olive rabbit dubbing.
Legs: Olive/black Sili Legs.
Hackle: Olive/Black Barred Hen Hackle.
Adhesive #2: Superglue.