#4. Hellgrammite

[Tom L]

Just finished this fly this morning. Borrowed some ideas from Michael Verduin's Mighty Mite Hellgrammite and Bill Skilton's Hellgrammite. Added some of my own and free craft furs ideas in the pot. This is what I ended up.

 

[Steve S.]

Your flies look too nice to fish with!

[Jonn Graham]

nice...............you will have to try that one in the vermilion next summer.

[John Gillio]

As Jonn says, hellgrammites work well in the Vermilion. That should be a good one.

[Guest rich mc]

did they bite you at all rich

[Tom L]

Your flies look too nice to fish with!

Steve - Despite its look, it is a very simple fly to tye.

 

nice...............you will have to try that one in the vermilion next summer.

As Jonn says, hellgrammites work well in the Vermilion. That should be a good one.

Thanks guys. Can't wait! What colors are the Vermillion hellgrammites? I can tye them in black, purple, olive, orange or combo colors. Can't seem to find a dark brown craft fur.

 

did they bite you at all rich

Rich - The pincher and the craft fur dubbing loops for the tail and the body really made this fly buggy and life like.

 

Here is the recipe for the fly:

 

Hook: Eagle Claw 413 (45 degrees jig hook)

Thread: Black Ultra 140

Eye: Black brass dumpbell eye.

Pincher: Black O-Ring from a hardware store.

Abdomen (extended tail): Bubbing loop of craft furs, folded double and let twisted.

Thorax (or body): Bubbing loop of craft fur, palmered.

Legs: Black Perfect Rubber

Wing Case: Thin skin mottled oak black

Rip: Black floss

 

The real tricky part of this fly is the abdomen or the extended body, but it is quite simple. Once in the water, the extended tail will act like a rabbit strip.

 

This is where I got the idea for the extended tail. In the video, Bill Skilton used a chenile and I used a dubbing loop of craft furs.

[John Gillio]

Tom, black and gray work well. It is their natural color in my stretch of river. I'm sure that mixing in some purple, olive, brown, or orange would work too. Thanks for the recipe. It's a great looking pattern.

[klrbaer]

I've always stayed away from tying the Hellgrammite until now. Thanks for the patten.

[Mike Kyrouac]

That is one of the buggiest helgrammites I have ever seen. I really like the overall profile of the body. I would think this would be deadly on smallies in the Middle Fork or Kankakee when the water is running really clear. Nice job.