Art Flick's Isonychia pattern, and the third of his great Variants: a stripped dark quill body under an oversized dark dun hackle, no wing. Slate drakes emerge by crawling out, so the dun on the water is an accident — but when they're around, this high-riding silhouette drifted down the fast slots brings slashing rises.
1. Thread base — Attach gray thread behind the eye and build a base to the bend.
2. Tail — Tie in a generous bunch of stiff dark dun hackle fibers, 1.5× hook-shank long.
3. Body — Tie in a stripped hackle quill from a large dark reddish-brown hackle. Wind forward in touching turns to the 2/3 point. Varnish while wet.
4. Hackle — Tie in an oversized dark dun hackle at the 2/3 point. Wind 4–6 turns to just behind the eye. The hackle should extend well beyond the gap.
5. Head — Small, neat head. Whip finish and cement.
hook
thread
tail
body
hackle
Isonychia bicolor
