Olive Soft Hackle
Soft hackle wet flies are among the oldest trout patterns, and they remain devastatingly effective. The pulsing partridge hackle mimics struggling legs and gills as the fly swings through the current. Fish it on a downstream swing at the tail of runs and riffles — the fish take as the fly rises at the end of the swing, just as a natural pupa ascends to the surface. Simple and deadly.
- Type
- wet fly (Caddis)
- Hook sizes
- #12–16
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Best seasons
- spring, summer, fall
Materials
- hook: Wet fly hook #12–16
- thread: Olive 8/0
- body: Hare's ear or olive dubbing, slim
- ribbing: Fine gold or copper wire
- hackle: Hungarian partridge or hen back, 1–2 loose turns
Tying steps
- Mount a size 12–16 wet fly hook; start olive thread and wrap to bend.
- Tie in fine gold or copper wire for ribbing.
- Dub a slim body of hare's ear or olive dubbing from bend to the 3/4 mark.
- Counter-wrap the wire in 5–6 open spirals over the body; tie off and trim.
- Select a mottled partridge feather; strip the fibers from the base of the stem.
- Tie in the partridge by the tip at the 3/4 mark.
- Make 1–2 loose turns of partridge hackle forward; secure the stem and trim.
- Build a small neat head; whip finish and apply a touch of head cement.