Tails and tags

A bunch of fibres or yarn tied in at the bend, sticking out behind.

Measure the length against the hook before you tie in. Hold the bunch on top of the shank at the start of the bend, make two loose turns, then tighten with a pinch wrap.

Bind the butts down along the shank towards the eye and trim them where the body will cover them, so the body stays even.

Common mistakes

• Tails that roll round the far side of the shank.
• Too long: the fly lands unevenly and fish nip the tail.

Patterns that use it

• Adams
• Ally's Shrimp
• Black Pennell
• Cat's Whisker
• F-Fly
• Foam Beetle
• Gammarus
• Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear
• Kobberbassen
• Lefty's Deceiver
• Marabou Muddler
• Montana Nymph
• Parachute Adams
• Pat's Rubber Legs
• Pattegrisen
• Peeping Caddis
• Pheasant Tail Nymph
• Prince Nymph
• Rackelhanen
• Red Tag
• Stoat's Tail
• Teal Blue & Silver
• Thread Frenchie
• Woolly Bugger
• Zulu