Bucky loves updating classic patterns with new materials, and this month he does just that with the Red Tag Palmer. It's a versatile attractor that can be fished on the swing, twitched and crawled through likely holding spots, and fished dead drift with an indicator rig as well. Aside from Bucky, hardly anyone has fished this fly in about 75 years, so the fish won't know what hit them!
Step 1: If desired, add weight to the shank by using your preferred amount of either 0.010" Lead Wire or 0.015" Lead Free Wire.
Step 2: Begin wrapping thread and completely cover the lead wraps to form a thread base. If you prefer an unweighted fly, simply omit the wire wraps.
Step 3: Wrap back to the bend and tie in the tag of Laser Dub. Wrap forward over the butts of the laser dub until even with the wire wraps and then trim. Trim the tag even with or just past the hook bend.
Step 4: Tie in a piece of wire just in front of the tag for the rib, then tie in two strands of peacock herl. Wrap the peacock herl forward evenly to form the body and tie off just behind the eye. Trim excess.
Step 5: Tie in a hackle feather and wrap evenly back to the tag, about four to five turns.
Step 6: While keeping tension on the hackle feather, tie it off with a wrap of wire and then evenly wrap the wire rib forward through the hackle fibers. Tie the wire off and trim at the eye, and whip finish.
