Every so often, a fly comes along that doesn’t fit in any box. No mold, no matching hatch—just creativity at the vise. “The Mutant” is one of those flies.

Paul says it started with a discounted batch of Voodoo Fibers from BWC Flies and a slow day at the bench. The result? A pattern that doesn’t follow the rules. It resembles nothing in particular and might be two flies in one. It hasn’t been tested. It hasn’t been researched. It’s a mutant!

What’s in the Mix?

The Mutant is chaos on purpose:

• A misshaped glass bead for unpredictable water disturbance
• A simple poly yarn tail
• Two soft hackle collars
• An egg case
• A bulky possum fur body
• Four twitchy black rubber legs
• A wing made from fine micro Voodoo Fibers

It’s loud. It’s weird. It moves like crazy. And somewhere out there, a fish is going to smash it.

Why Tie It?

Because it’s fun.
Because you’re bored.
Because colour and movement matter more than perfection.

And when you’re done, hit it with a hair dryer to train the materials to sweep back and behave (yes, every fly tier should own one.)

The Mutant isn’t trying to be the next go-to pattern. It’s just a reminder that sometimes, tying flies is about experimenting, not replicating. Tie one. Toss it. See what happens.

Materials

• Hook: Curved Firehole size 4.
• Thread: Black 14/0 Griffiths Sheer.
• Weight: 10 turns .20 Lead free wire.
• Bead: Miss-shaped Red glass.
• Tail: Orange poly yarn uneven.
• Egg case: Orange crystal chenille
• Hackle: Mallee Fowl soft hackle.
• Legs: Four round black rubber.
• Body: Possum dubbing.
• Throat: Mallee Fowl.
• Wing: 5 Black/white Micro Voodoo Fibers.

Wood duck wing feathers

Red glass beads (mis-shapen)

Round black rubber legs

Barred Micro Voodoo Fibers

Orange poly yarn (uneven)

Orange crystal chenille

.20 lead free wire

Black sheer 14/0 thread

Wood duck wing feathers

Red glass beads (mis-shapen)

Round black rubber legs

Barred Micro Voodoo Fibers

Orange poly yarn (uneven)

Orange crystal chenille

.20 lead free wire

Black sheer 14/0 thread

Wood duck wing feathers

Tying Instructions

1. Slide on a misshaped glass bead.
2. Add 10 tight wraps of .020 lead-free wire behind the bead.

3. Start black thread behind the wire wraps and cover the hook shank.
4. Tie in a poly yarn tail at the bend.

5. Tie in and wrap the egg case (material of choice) just above the tail.
6. Tie in Mallee Fowl feather and make 2–3 soft hackle wraps.

7. Tie in black rubber legs, longer than the tail, facing backward.

Pro Tip: Tie on the legs in two pairs, then split them at the end.

8. Create a dubbing loop with possum fur and dub a loose, bulky body.

9. Tie in a throat (optional: another soft hackle or a dubbing brush).
10. Tie in clumps of micro Voodoo Fibers on both sides and over the top, extending past the tail.

11. Whip finish and cut the thread. Trim (but not too neatly).
12. Use a hair dryer to sweep materials back and set the shape.