Durham Ranger

Tying Instructions

1. 1.

   Secure the hook in the vise and start the thread behind the eye, leaving enough bare shank for the wing and head before wrapping back to the tag position.

2. 2.

   Tie in the oval silver tinsel and form a short, smooth tag at the rear of the shank, then return the thread to the tail tie-in point.

3. 3.

   Tie in a golden pheasant crest topping for the tail and add an Indian crow substitute feather above it, keeping both centered and proportionate to the hook.

4. 4.

   Tie in black ostrich herl at the tail base and wrap a compact butt immediately ahead of the tail.

5. 5.

   Tie in the flat silver tinsel and fine silver thread at the rear of the body, then secure a yellow-dyed badger hackle by its tip with the fibers sweeping rearward.

6. 6.

   Build four equal body sections in order: lemon floss, orange seal's-fur substitute, fiery brown seal's-fur substitute, and black seal's-fur substitute, keeping the transitions clean and the body tapered.

7. 7.

   Wind the yellow-dyed badger hackle forward in open turns over the body and secure it at the shoulder.

8. 8.

   Counter-wrap the flat silver tinsel and fine silver thread forward in evenly spaced turns, binding the hackle stem and protecting the four body sections.

9. 9.

   Tie in the light blue hackle at the shoulder and wind a sparse throat, sweeping the fibers down and back beneath the shank.

10. 10.

    Mount a matched pair of jungle cock nails back to back as the primary wing, then cover three-quarters of their length with two matched pairs of golden pheasant tippets set back to back.

11. 11.

    Add smaller jungle cock nails as sides and kingfisher substitute feathers as blue cheeks, keeping both pairs level and balanced.

12. 12.

    Tie in a golden pheasant crest over the wing, then add paired blue and yellow macaw substitute fibers as horns extending just beyond the wing.

13. 13.

    Form a neat black head, whip finish, and apply black head lacquer.