The pattern notebook · nymph
Birds Nest
How do you tie a Birds Nest?
Birds Nest is a nymph fly pattern for trout. Find its 8 materials and 16 tying steps below.
- Difficulty
- 4 of 5
- Target species
- trout
- Pattern designer
- Cal Bird
Added to catalog · Updated
At the vise
Materials
- Hook: Grip 13021BL #12 (or equivalent 2XL medium wire hook)
- Weight (optional): Lead wire
- Thread: Benecchi 12/0, tobacco
- Thorax: Australian possum - in split thread
- Rib: Copper wire, bright
- Tail: Lemon woodduck barbs
- Abdomen: Australian possum
- Hackle: Lemon woodduck barbs
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Tying instructions
Attach thread just back of the eye and run down to about 1/3 of the body length.
Tie in bright copper wire underneath the hook shank.
Tie in a heavy tail of lemon woodduck barbs, about half to 3/4 of the hook shank length.
Run the thread to the end of the shank, keeping the tail on top and the ribbing underneath.
Twist Australian possum around the thread in a tight noodle.
Wrap the possum forward to create a slender, then tapered abdomen.
Rib the abdomen with evenly spaced turns of copper wire.
Tie off and trim the copper wire.
Tie in lemon woodduck barbs for the legs/hackle, with the tips extending just past the bend of the hook.
Fold the hackle around the entire hook 360 degrees.
Tie down the hackle.
Split the thread.
Insert the desired amount of Australian possum into the split thread.
Spin the bobbin holder to create a dubbing noodle.
Wrap the dubbing noodle to create a fuzzy, spiky thorax.
Finish with a three-turn whip finish and trim the thread.