Heavy Hybrid

Tying the Frenchy's Fall Fathead. 

The Frenchy’s Fall Fathead is a cross between a handful of traditional streamers, such as the Bow River Bugger and JJ Special. It’s a great pattern for the fall that’s heavily weighted and pushes a lot of water with its fat head. If you’re looking for a bigger streamer, but don’t want to fool around with stingers or articulated flies, this might be the one for you. I tie it with non-lead wire as it is a great pattern to throw in Yellowstone National Park. Happy tying!

Materials
Hook: Dai-Riki 700 2-6, or equivalent
Tail: Golden olive and black Marabou, gold Krystal Flash
Underbody: 15 raps of .03 or .035 non-lead wire
Body: Olive Estaz
Hackle: Yellow and brown schlappen
Wing: Same as tail with yellow rubber legs
Eyes: Yellow dumbbells
Head: Olive and natural deer hair

Instructions
1. Secure dumbbell eyes about three eye-lengths behind eye of hook, then wrap thread to bend of hook.
2. Wrap non-lead wire starting at hook point, to a point just short of the dumbbell eyes. Secure lead wraps with thread.
3. Apply Loctite or UV curing glue to lead wraps and dumbbell eyes for added durability.
4. Tie in golden olive marabou feathers (1-2) that extend about 1.5 times the length of the hook. Tie in black marabou feather on top. Add several strands of Krystal Flash to each side of the marabou tail.
5. At the bend of the hook, tie in by the tips a brown and a yellow schlappen feather, fine ribbing wire, and olive Estaz. Wrap Estaz leaving enough space behind the eyes to spin a clump of deer hair (1-2 eye lengths).
6. Palmer both schlappen feathers ending at same place as the Estaz.
7. Slowly counter wrap the ribbing wire through the schlappen feathers being careful not to trap down too many fibers.
8. Tie in golden olive marabou feather on top of hook so that the tips reach the middle of the tail and then repeat with a black marabou feather.
9. Tie in two yellow or barred yellow rubber legs on each side of the fly so that they extend to the bend of the hook.
10. Spin a collar of olive deer hair so that natural tips reach the point of the hook.
11. Continue spinning and/or stacking deer hair to fill up space behind, on top, underneath, and directly in front of dumbbell eyes.
12. Spin a single clump of natural colored deer hair at the very front of fly that extends to the eye of the hook.
13. Tie off the fly, add some head cement or UV curing glue, and trim deer hair head to shape with razor blade or very sharp scissors.

Jimmy “Loosewraps” Armijo-Grover is a guide for Gallatin River Guides in Big Sky.