Originator: Alan Bithell

Step 1

Mount a hook in the vise, tie in the thread and cover the thorax area with thread.

Step 2

Measure a bunch of pheasant tail barbs. The front part, with the tips, should be about 1,3 - 1,5 x the total body length of the fly.

Step 3

Tie in the bunch so the tip part point out forward past the hook eye.

Step 4

Fold the rear part of the bunch up over the thorax area and secure it there. We're using this surplus part to build up a little larger thorax. This way we get the bulk above the hook shank and keep a maximum hook gape. This makes this technique very suitable for hooks also in the smaller size ranges.

Step 5

Cut the waste of the surplus end as close to the thread as possible.

Step 6

Cover the rest of the hook shank with thread and tie at the same time in a piece of copper wire or ordinary round tinsel.

Step 7

Tie in a bunch of lighter colored material, here yellow pheasant tail barbs. This fly should be seen more as an idea than a pattern, since it's open for a lot of variants while still keep the advantages of the actual bi-color technique. Note: If weight is to be added, now is the time to do it.

Step 8

Here the yellow pheasant barbs have been wrapped up towards the eye and been secured at the head of the fly.

Step 9

We are done with the thread work and a whip-finish is made in a regular manner.

Step 10

Now it's time to get imitative.

Step 11

The darker barbs are folded back over the hook shank and tied down with a wrap of tinsel/wire at the end of the body. A darker back, a wingcase and a tail are created in one swift move.

Step 12

Continue to rib the wire forward and tie down the back barbs in segments.

Step 13

At the start of the thorax, finish off the wire with a couple of half-hitches and cut the waste.

Done...

And here it's done. Quick, simple and imitative with few materials. Strong factors defining a "perfect" fly.

Variants

Smaller hook with olive body.

Another variant, with yellow SLF dubbing for abdomen and peacock herl for a thorax, but still based on the very same idea.