The Fly Fisher.co.za

The Copper John is probably the fly pattern John Barr is most famous for. Useful for fly fishing both rivers and stillwaters alike, it’s a pattern he attributes much success to; as do many other anglers who have gone on to adopt it.

Barr obviously put a lot of thought into the design of this pattern and has evolved it through much iteration over time. The pattern has a number of triggers built in, is well weighted, but still maintains a nice slim profile, making for a good sink rate, even in fast water.

Having tied many Copper Johns and applied a lot of thought as to its construction and choice of materials, I’d be hard pressed to try to improve on it. As such you will find that the sequence below is true to Barr’s recipe, save for the fact that I have substituted Partridge hackle for the legs instead of using hen hackle.

I hope you will enjoy the sequence and look forward to any comments or feedback you may have.

Recipe

Hook: Tiemco TMC5262  #12 - #18
Thread: UTC 70 Denier – Colour of choice
Tail: Goose Biots
Body: Ultra Wire, colour of choice. Size Medium for #12 hook, Size Brassie for #14-16, Small for #18
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Legs: Partridge Hackle
Wing Case: Thin Skin – Black, Flashabou, 5 minute epoxy

Step 1

Weight the hook with your choice of bead, and the required number of turns of lead wire, and insert into the vice.

Step 2

Tie 2 goose biots, concave sides facing outwards from the hook shank, so they flair out slightly when you tie them in.

Step 3

Form a tapered thread underbody for your abdomen and tie in a piece of ultra wire on top of the hook shank.

Step 4

Wrap the ultra wire forward in touching turns to form the abdomen. Tie off and trim the excess wire by wiggling it back and forth until it breaks.

Step 5

Tie in a strand of Flashabou on top of the hook shank.

Step 6

Tie in a strip of Thin Skin, approximately ½ the width of the hook gape, on top of the flashabou strand.

Step 7

Tie in 3 peacock herls by their tips. Twist into a rope and wrap to create the thorax. Tie off and trim the excess.

Step 8

Tie in a small clump of Partridge hackle fibres on either side of the thorax to form the legs.

Step 9

Pull the Thin Skin forward, over the thorax and secure. Then bring the strand of Flashabou forward, over the Thin Skin. Ensure that it is centred on the wingcase and secure. Whip finish and tie off.

Step 10

Mix up a batch of 5 minute epoxy. Using a bodkin, apply a drop of epoxy over the wingcase, allowing it to slightly overlap the wire wraps on one side and the bead on the other. You’re done !