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F&F Fly Pattern Archive

Olive Tadpole

This is one of those bog-standard flies which does sterling work when there are damsels about, and again, when there are not! Fish it on a medium or slow retrieve and you should soon have a fish or two. Often fishes very well with a dropper - on which I often put a white tadpole!

Pattern

Hook: Ashima long shank (4x or 2x) sizes 8 to 14
Tail: olive marabou
Body: olive marabou, or you can use olive wool or olive chenille.
Rib: silver oval tinsel
Wing (optional): olive marabou
Head: olive thread

Tying

Tying is simple - and you can weight this fly successfully too. Just add ten to fourteen turns of fine lead wire before you start.

Tie in the tail with a bunch of olive marabou tips. Then tie in the silver rib and either a) wind the rest of the marabou up to the head and secure, or b) tie in the olive wool or chenille for the body and wind up to the head. Rib with three or four turns of oval silver.

Wing: if you want to wing the fly tie in another bunch of olive marabou at the head reaching down to the end of the tail, or just finish off and fish it!

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David Westwood of NorScFly ties exclusively for private clients. All patterns for all gamefish, including magazine flies, and repeats of that last fly you have left. Contact him at Davidflies@btinternet.com