Copper John

 

Hook:

Standard Nymph 12-18

Thread:

8/0 or 6/0 black , brown or olive

Bead:

Gold or copper craft bead

Tail:

pheasant tail fibers or goose or turkey biots (brown)

Abdomen:

Fine (red) copper wire

Wing-case:

Flashback, Pearlescent Flashabou or Easter Flash.  Five minute Epoxy can be applied over the flashabou.

Thorax:

Peacock herl

Legs:

Grouse, Partridge, Hen or Ringneck Pheasant Tail Fibers, tied rather short and to each side

Tying instructions:

  1. Place bead on hook and put hook in vise.

  2. Tie on and wrap thread to shank, tie on pheasant fibers for tail. If using biots, tie two split.  The tail should be as long as the shank as the added length gives better action.

  3. Tie down pheasant tail up to a little more than midpoint of shank.

  4. Placed under the hook shank and up against the bead the end of the Medium Copper body wire.   Bind the wire in on the bottom of the hook shank.   Work the thread back toward the hook bend tying in the wire.  Secure the wire firmly here at the body end point.  Kink the wire with your thumb nail here to start the winding process.

  5. Begin to wrap the wire on the hook in tight turns. The thread is advanced underneath along with the wire turns. Wrap the wire up snug to the bead or as close as you can.  Trim by rapid flexing of the wire and cover the end with thread. Try and maintain or build the thread height here the same as the wire height at the bead.

  6. At midpoint, tie in the pearl Flashabou or flash back and peacock herl.

  7. Bring the pheasant fibers forward to eye of hook and leave sticking out in front. Move thread back to tie in point of peacock. Make a peacock herl rope to create the thorax and wind to head, tie off.

  8. Bring flash back over and tie off.

  9. Bring front of pheasant tail fibers back and tie down as with a pheasant tail nymph, trim to length.