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!