Featured Pattern Section

If you're interested in some of the patterns formerly featured in this section click on: The Fly Tying Desk If you're fishing for trout, smallies and any number of other fish and your usual flies or the ones touted for that day just don't seem to be working here's a fly for you that has proven it's abilities to catch fish under all kinds of conditions. First shown to me by Clayton Gist while fishing for trout on the Clinch River it has also caught trout on all of the other East Tennessee tailwaters as well as the mountain streams. Clayton brought it back to Tennessee from out West where it's well known as a deadly fly. When none of the usuals are working this is a good one to pull out. It's simple to tie and fishes well even when chewed on by a number of fish.

PATTERN:
Hook: Mustad 9671, TMC 5262 or other 2X Nymph hook, # 4-12
Thread: Olive
Weight: Several wraps of "lead" wire (optional)
Tail: Olive marabou
Overtail: 10-12 strands of rainbow Krystal Flash
Ribbing: Flat gold mylar tinsel
Body: Olive chenille
Collar: Olive dyed grizzly saddle hackle
Eyes: Pair of brass or gold bead chain eyes

TYING INSTRUCTIONS:
1. If you decide that you would like to weight this fly then start your thread just behind the eye of the hook and wrap it to the bend. Take some "lead" wire and wrap 7-12 turns around the middle of the hook shank. Wind the thread back and forth over the weight to hold it in place and finish with the thread at the bend of the hook.
2. If you don't want any additional weight on the fly then start your thread just in front of the bend of the hook and wrap it to the bend.
3. Tie in a clump of marabou at the bend of the hook as you would for the tail of a Wooly Bugger. This should be about 1 1/2 times the length of the hook. The fly works equally well if longer marabou is tied in and then trimmed to this length.
4. Take about 10-12 strands of rainbow Krystal Flash and tie it in as a clump over the top of the tail. Trim this to the same length as the tail.
5. Tie in a piece of mylar tinsel about 3" long just in front of the tail. Let it hang down out of the way. This will later be wound forward as ribbing.
6. Secure one end of a piece of chenille about 3-4" long just in front of the tail.
7. Wrap your thread to slightly behind the eye of the hook. You need to leave enough room here to tie in a collar and a pair of bead chain eyes (1/8 to 1/4" depending upon the size of the hook).
8. Wrap the chenille forward to the thread and tie off. Trim off the excess chenille.
9. Spiral the mylar tinsel forward to the thread as ribbing and tie off. Trim off the excess mylar.
10. Tie in an olive dyed grizzly saddle hackle by its tip just in front of the body. Wrap the hackle around the hook 3-4 times to form a collar. Tie off and trim off the excess hackle.
11. Tie in a pair of bead chain eyes just in front of the collar on the top of the hook.
12. Whip finish.

VARIATIONS:
Even though it's known as the "green" dragon this fly can be tied in any colors that you might use for a Wooly Bugger. Black, white, brown, etc. all work well under the right conditions. If you really want a sinker then use a pair of dumbbell eyes instead of bead chain eyes. For a fly that will ride higher in the water column use a pair of burnt mono eyes.
FISHING THE FLY:
This fly can be fished either like you would a Wooly Bugger or a nymph. The weighted version is easier to get down to the bottom when it's being fished as a nymph. The unweighted version rides higher in the water column. If you do fish it as a nymph, when it has finished its drift be sure and strip it back in rather than just picking it up. You will often get your strikes on the return stripping. Vary the size to suit the conditions in which you are fishing the fly.

L.J. DeCuir
ldecuir@utkux.utcc.utk.edu