Iron Blue (Baetis niger, B. muticus).

 

Nymphs

 

Iron Blue Dun. (Skues)  (Baetis pumilus, B. niger)

(X) Late April to end of July and a smaller variety

      from mid-August to End of Season.

Hook:   No. 15 Bartleets B 7363 or, if that cannot be had, No. 17

            down-eyed Pennell sneck.

Tying Silk:   Crimson, waxed with colourless wax.

Hackle:   Shortest hackle from the throat of cock jackdaw

              - one turn or, at most, two.

Whisks:   Three strands of soft white hen hackle, quite short.

Body -   Abdomen:   Mole’s fur spun thinly on the tying silk

                                exposing two turns of silk at tail, tapering to

                                thickest at shoulder.

 

Iron Blue Nymph (traditional).

Hook: 16.

Silk: Claret.

Tail: White cock hackle fibres.

Body: Mole’s fur with a tip of tying silk exposed at rear.

Thorax: Mole’s fur.

Wing-case: Black crow or waterhen wing.

Legs: Wing-case fibres tied beneath the body.

 

Iron Blue Nymph (W. H. Lawrie)

Hook: 16.

Silk: Claret or crimson.

Tail: Soft greyish-white feather fibres.

Body: Mole’s fur.

Thorax: Blue-black cat’s fur.

Legs: Very dark blue-dun hen sparsely tied.

 

Iron Blue Nymph (Roger Woolley)

Hook: Size 00 or 000 (16 or 17).

Body(1): Mole fur on claret tying silk.

        (2): Dark peacock quill dyed claret.

        (3): Celluloid over claret tying silk.

Thorax: Mole fur.

Legs: One turn short dark blue dun hen hackle.

Whisks: Three short soft white hackles from a cock’s hackle.

Wing-cases: Waterhen’s secondary wing feather.