The Red Quill imitates the male Hendrickson natural — darker and smaller than the female, with a distinctive reddish-brown segmented body made from a stripped hackle quill. A Catskill classic as important as the Hendrickson itself.
1. Thread base — Attach brown thread behind the eye and build a base to the bend.
2. Tail — Tie in a sparse bunch of dark dun hackle fibers at the bend, one hook-gap in length.
3. Wings — At the 2/3 point, tie in two matched wood duck flank sections upright and divided with figure-eight wraps.
4. Body — Tie in a stripped hackle quill by the tip at the bend. The quill should be from a red or mahogany-brown hackle to produce the correct color. Wind forward in tight, touching turns to just behind the wings. Varnish while wet.
5. Hackle — Tie in a dun hackle behind the wings. Wind 3–4 turns through the thorax. Tie off and trim.
6. Head — Build a small, neat head. Whip finish and apply head cement.
