Best Bluegill Fly Ever – Adapted for TroutDunmore Six #6

We’ve reached the sixth and final fly in Fed’s Dunmore Six! To wrap up the series, Fed takes inspiration from Robert Smart of Callawegin Fly Fishing and his Best Bluegill Fly Ever — a pattern originally designed for bluegill and other sunfish.

Fed has adapted the original size 10 fly for trout, downsizing it to a size 12 hook while retaining its gold bead, black chenille body and red flash rib. His version features black makeup brush fibres for the tail, a brown soft hackle wing and a rusty brown possum thorax.

It’s a slightly different approach to trout fly tying and a fitting way to round out the Dunmore Six. Watch Fed’s step-by-step tutorial, check out the materials below, and give this American sunfish pattern a try in your own trout waters!

Materials

  • Hook:2X size 12
  • Bead:Gold bead 3/32nd to match the hook
  • Weight:6 turns of .015 Lead free wire
  • Thread: Sheer 14/0 black
  • Tail 1:4 strands of Green flash
  • Tail 2:Black makeup brush fibres
  • Rib:Red sparkle flash
  • Body:Miro chenille black
  • Wing:Brown soft hackle
  • Thorax:Rusty Brown possum dubbing
2x size 12 nymph hook
0.15 lead free wire
Krystal Flash - Peacock Green
Red Sparkle Flash
Rust brown possum fur
Brown hackles

Tying Instructions

A hook is fitted with a bead and wire, which are secured in place before the hook shank is covered with tying thread.
  1. Place the gold bead on the hook and wrap six turns of lead-free wire behind it.
  2. Push the wire forward into the bead, then anchor both securely with thread.
  1. Cover the hook shank with an even layer of thread.
  2. Tie in four strands of green flash on top of the hook shank. Trim to length (see picture).
Four strands of green flash are tied along the top of the hook shank, ready to be trimmed to length.
Makeup brush fibres and ribbing material are secured to the hook, ready for the chenille body to be formed.
  1. Tie in the black makeup brush fibres over the flash to form the tail.
  2. Tie in the red sparkle flash for the ribbing.
  1. Tie in the black Micro chenille and wrap it forward to form the body.
  2. Counter-wrap the red flash along the body to create the rib, then tie it off securely
Green chenille is wrapped around the hook shank to form the body, with the flash ribbing wound over it for added sparkle.
Hackle is tied in and wrapped around the fly to add movement and texture.
  1. Tie in the brown soft hackle by the tips and wrap it around the hook.
  2. Secure the hackle and sweep the fibres backwards as you wrap the thread to hold them in place.
  1. Tie in the rust brown possum dubbing and dub the thorax.
  2. Whip finish and coat the thorax with UV resin. Cure with a UV light.
Possum dubbing forms the thorax behind the bead, with the fly whip finished and ready for its protective UV resin coating.
UV resin is applied to the fly's thorax and cured with a UV torch to create a durable, glossy finish.
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Julian Tapping
Julian Tapping
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