How to Tie a Hornberg Fly

The Hornberg fly can be fished wet or dry. Originally tied as a bass fly, the Hornberg quickly gained popularity as a trout fly. In sizes 12 and 14 they imitate a caddis fly, while larger sizes look like stone flies. The cheeks on the original pattern call for jungle cock eyes. Jungle cock was illegal to import for many years, requiring tiers to find a replacement. Recently domestic jungle cock has become legal and available, but at a high price. Imitation jungle cock from synthetic material is a suitable replacement.

Things You'll Need

  • Fly tying vice
  • Fly tying thread bobbin
  • Fly tying scissors
  • Fly tying hackle pliers
  • Fly tying bodkin
  • Fly hooks, 2X shank, sizes No. 6 to 14
  • Fly tying thread, 6/0 black
  • Tinsel, medium flat, silver color
  • Bucktail, yellow
  • Mallard flank feathers
  • Grizzly dry fly hackle
  • Brown dry fly hackle
  • Fly head cement
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clamp the bend of the hook in the vise so the hook shank is parallel with the table top. Wrap the end of the thread clockwise around the hook shank just behind the hook eye. Wrap the thread down the shank stopping at a point directly above the hook's barb. Let the bobbin hang.

    • 2

      Lay the end of a 2-inch piece of silver tinsel on the top of the shank above the barb. Tie the tinsel in place with three turns of thread. Wrap the thread forward on the shank stopping 1/4 the length of the shank behind the hook eye. Let the bobbin hang.

    • 3

      Wrap the tinsel clockwise around the shank keeping the wraps tight against each other. Stop wrapping the tinsel where the thread is hanging. Tie the tinsel down to the shank with three turns of thread and cut off the excess tinsel.

    • 4

      Cut 10 to 12 yellow bucktail hairs from the tail and even the hair tips together. Lay the bucktail on top of and parallel with the shank and adjust the hair so the tips extend past the end of the hook for 1/4 the length of the shank. Tie the hair down over the thread turns on the tinsel with four turns of thread.

    • 5

      Pick out two mallard flank feathers that are the length of the hook. Strip the fibers off the butt ends of both sides of both stems so the tips of the mallard feathers are slightly past the tips of the bucktail and the bottom end of the feathers are at the thread turns holding down the bucktail.

    • 6

      Position the mallard feathers one on each side of the hook shank with the stems on the sides of the shank. The insides of the feathers should be together and the backs of the feathers facing out. Tie the mallard feathers in place with five turns of thread and cut off the excess stem butts.

    • 7

      Center the jungle cock eyes on the mallard feathers, one on each side of the hook. Adjust the eyes so the tips are pointed to the rear and the butt end is over the thread wraps that are holding the mallard in place. Tie the eyes against the mallard with four turns of thread.

    • 8

      Pluck a grizzly hackle and a brown hackle from their necks. Strip the soft fibers and fuzz off the butt ends of the hackles. Place the two hackles together so the inside of the brown hackle is against the back of the grizzly hackle.

    • 9

      Lay the stems of the two hackles on the hook shank on a 90-degree angle to the shank. The back of the brown hackle should be toward the hook eye, the stem butts pointed toward you, and the hackle wisps vertical. Adjust the hackles so the bottom wisps are against the mallard feathers and the hook shank. Tie them in place with four turns of thread and cut off the excess stem butts.

    • 10

      Wrap the thread forward to the hook eye. Clip the hackle pliers on the tip of the brown hackle and wrap the hackle clockwise around the shank moving toward the eye. Make four or five wraps of hackle stopping behind the hook eye a distance equal to the length of the hook eye and tie the hackle down with three turns of thread.

    • 11

      Clip the hackle pliers to the tip of the grizzly hackle and wrap the grizzly over the brown hackle for four turns. Tie the grizzly hackle down with three turns of thread and clip off the excess hackle tips.

    • 12

      Finish the fly by wrapping the thread back and forth between the back of the hook eye and the hackle. Form the thread into a cone shape and tie it off with three half hitches. Dip the tip of the bodkin into a bottle of fly head cement and paint cement over the head, then cut the thread free.