Step 1
Attach thread at midpoint of hook and tie on rib and tail material, wrap down bend as shown.
Step 2
Dub on muskrat body to mid point of hook and reverse wrap rib. (rib shows up better on soft dubbing if it is reverse wrapped)
Step 3
Make a short loop around your finger and lock it down to the hook with three wraps, make one more loop and lock it down to the hook. This will create your hackle post. Two loops work better than one for me because I kept breaking hackle with just one.
Step 4
Trim hackle stems and attach just in front of loop. Try and tie them on as vertical as possible so their easier to wrap around the post.
Step 5
Wrap the hackle around the post in a counterclockwise direction. Make about 4 or 5 wraps with each hackle.( I like to wrap them both together ) After you have tied a few it gets easy. Lay the hackle across the back of the hook and lock it down with several wraps of thread and trim excess.
Step 6
Carefully pull back the wing and wrap enough dubbing to cover the thorax.
Step 7
Preen back the hackle fibers and lay the loop down over the back of the hook eye and secure it. Pull the loop tight and lock it down. Trim off excess and whip finish.
Step 8
Add some head cement and fish it. I typically fish this in sizes 14 to 18 for caddis and 16 to 20 for mayflys. Color can range from gray, olive, brown, and even yellow.
