Hendrickson Soft Hackle Tutorial

"For many anglers the Hendrickson hatch is the true mark of spring arriving. These sizable mayflies are often the first big hatch that will bring trout to the surface and anglers to their favorite rivers."

 

MATERIALS LIST

• Hook: TMC 3761 (size 12)
• Weight: Lead Wire .015
• Thread: UNI 6/0  (Camel)
• Tail: Pheasant Tail Fibers
• Rib: UTC Ultra Wire (copper brassie)
• Dubbing: Hare's Ear Plus (hare's ear)
• Wing: Whiting Brahma Hen or Hareline Hen Cape
• Adhesive: Loon UV Flow

TOOLS USED

• Renzetti Traveler
• Loon All Purpose Scissors
• Griffin Bobbin
• Loon Infinity UV Light

TYING NOTES

This is an incredibly quick fly and an extremely basic format I use for tons of different hatches. By simply changing the size and color of this fly you can match just about any emerging mayfly in your river. Do consider tying a few without the lead wire wraps so you can fish this close to the surface as an emerger.

FISHING NOTES

This fly really works best swung downstream and across. My typical setup includes a floating fly line with a sinking sonar leader. You can always run a split shot near the eye but casting a sinking leader is much more enjoyable. If fish are actively feeding on emergers, I'll go back to a standard mono leader so I can fish this fly closer to the surface or even grease it with floatant and dead drift it as an emerging dun.