Purple Soft Hackle
Purple is one of those colors that trout find irresistible for reasons that no one can entirely explain, and Charlie Craven's Purple Soft Hackle — highlighted in the Orvis guide — exploits this fact with devastating simplicity. Just three or four materials: purple thread, a purple dubbing body, a small hint of flash, and a hen or partridge hackle. It works as a searching pattern in any river at any time of year, and is especially deadly during Baetis hatches when purple thread bodies seem to mimic the olive-purple tones of the naturals.
- Type
- wet fly (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #14–18
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Wet fly hook #14–18
- thread: Purple 8/0
- tag: Red or orange thread (optional)
- body: Purple or violet dubbing
- ribbing: Purple or holographic silver tinsel
- hackle: Hen back or partridge, 1–2 turns
Tying steps
- Mount a wet fly hook and start purple 8/0 thread at the bend.
- Optionally tie in a very short tag of red or orange thread at the bend for an attractor trigger point.
- Dub a slim, tapered body of purple or violet dubbing from bend to 2/3 point.
- Add a single strand of purple or holographic tinsel ribbing wound in 5 turns over the body.
- Prepare a small hen back or partridge feather; tie in by the tip and wind 1–2 turns as a wet hackle collar.
- Sweep fibers rearward with thread; build a small thread head, whip finish, and cement.