Red Ass Fly Tying Instructions

Producer: Michael Falkoff

“The Red Ass soft hackle is a popular fly in the South, in particular the Ozarks. I came to know about this fly being born and raised in Arkansas. I would see them in the shop and always laugh at the name. This fly may have originated from the Peacock Red Butt, which is thought to have originated in the Southern Appalachians in the 1980s. It is around that same time that the Arkansas Red Butt (Red Ass) came to be in the Ozarks. This classic fly uses traditional techniques and materials, but I do take a little liberty with how I tie in my peacock and counter rib with black thread for strength. It just feels good to get back to swinging wet flies sometimes, so I always keep a few in the box. I tend to swing these flies to rising fish or when I’m just searching the water as I walk down stream. You can also nymph these flies when they have a bead to help get them down, and use the Leisenring lift method to imitate hatching insects.”