Fly Tier's Corner with Al & Gretchen Beatty 

Dry Muddler 

Twenty-plus years ago Bruce Staples gave Al his start as a regional/national, demonstration fly tier when he 
invited him to participate in the Western Rocky Mountain Council Conclave. From that start Al's demonstration 
tying career progressed to a high point when he was the recipient of the 1999 Buz Buszek Memorial Award for 
fly tying excellence. How wonderful that we can profile a fly here in this column tied by the new 2001 Buz 
Buszek Memorial Award recipient, master fly tier, Bruce Staples. 
 
When we asked Bruce after the 2001 Awards Luncheon which of his flies he would like us to profile, he 
immediately responded with the Dry Muddler. Al was not surprised and had bet Gretchen that would be the 
pattern. Al distinctly remembered Bruce demonstrating it at his first Conclave years earlier and at many 
subsequent tying programs all over the world. Bruce explained that he has had a love affair with this pattern for 
many years. We wonder if his wife Carol is wise to this situation. Oh, well that's a subject for a different 
discussion. Our purpose here is to share with all of you a really great pattern and that's what we'll do. 
 
Bruce advised that decades ago Don Gapen created the original Muddler Minnow now considered by many to 
be a classic. That original was designed to be offered to the fish as a wet/streamer fly. The late Joe Brooks was 
one of the first outdoor writers to tie it as a dry fly and present it as an insect/attractor. Joe had even written an 
article about his discovery in a 1963 issue of Outdoor Life. As often happens in the interesting world of fly tying, 
like minds made the same discovery without ever having crossed paths. This happened to Bruce. He developed 
the Dry Muddler many years after Joe Brooks. In fact, Bruce was not aware Joe beat him to the "punch" until a 
few years ago when he ran across the article while doing research for one of his books for Frank Amato 
Publications. 
 
Bruce likes to construct the Dry Muddler on a three or four X long streamer hook in sizes 4 to 10. He uses size A 
thread and chooses a floss color to match the insect he is trying to imitate. Bruce provides floatation and 
durability by incorporating hollow spinning hair with quill segments coated with Aqua Flex or another flexible 
cement. Bruce advises, "The head imparts flotation and the quill segment wings on either side of the shank 
provide symmetry and lateral stability." All of that aside, we also have developed a love for the pattern and very 
well remember a special day on the lower Madison River when we caught many brown trout on a yellow-bodied 
Dry Muddler.  

  

Dry Muddler 
 
Hook: 3XL or 4XL, Size 4 to 10 
Thread: Size A, color of choice 
Tail: Paired slips of "treated" turkey quill 
Body: Floss, color of choice 
Under wing: White over dark calf tail 
Wings: Pair slips of "treated" turkey quill 
Head/collar: Spun and trimmed deer hair 

 

 

 

  

  

Step 1: Mentally divide the hook shank into four equal parts and 
reserve the forward one-fourth for the Muddler's head. Start a 
thread base at the one-fourth point and wrap back to the end of 

  

 

  

  

the shank. Prepare two turkey quill slips from a matched pair of 
feathers that are about as wide as one-fourth the distance of the 
hook gape. Measure the tail so it is as long as the distance of 
the hook gape and bind it in place. We find this step is much 
easier if you start at the back and work forward. Trim the excess 
tail material at the one-fourth point. Attach the floss and 
construct a body covering the back three-fourths of the hook 
shank. 

  

  

  

 

Step 2: Apply an under wing of white over brown calf tail. Note it 
ends even with the back of the body. 

  

  

  

    

 

  

Step 3: Prepare two turkey slips from the matched feathers that 
are as wide as three-fourths the distance of the hook gape. 
Measure them so they extend to the end of the hook bend and 
bind them to the sides of the under wing. Trim the excess wing 
material and leave your thread at this location. 

  

 

    

 

  

  

  

 

Step 4: Trim, clean out the under fur, and stack a clump of 
deer hair that is about as big around as a pencil. Bind this 
clump to the near side of the hook, flaring it in place. Repeat 
the process on the far side of the hook. Bruce's "flaring in 
place" collar as described here evenly distributes the hair 
around the hook. 

  

  

  

 

 
Step 5: Pull the butt ends of the collar hair up and advance the 
thread forward. Trim and clean a third clump of hair. Spin it 
over the bare area on the hook directly behind the eye and in 
front of the collar hair. Whip finish and trim the thread. 

  

  

  

 

 
Step 6: Trim the hair to form the finished fly. We find a drop or 
two of Aqua Head or other head cement is a good final step 
before going fishing. Try this great pattern, you will like it!