Fat Albert

intermediatedry flyterrestrialhopperattractorsummerfalltroutriverstream

Description

The Fat Albert is a high-floating foam terrestrial and attractor dry for hopper banks, beetle water, and summer dry-dropper rigs. This tan-and-brown version uses stacked foam, rubber legs, a poly indicator wing, and a short dry-fly hackle collar to suggest a hopper, cricket, beetle, or small stonefly without matching one insect too tightly. It is a good intermediate tie because the thread segments must hold the foam firmly without cutting it.

Materials

Tying Instructions

1.
Secure the 2X long dry fly hook in the vise and start the black thread two eye lengths behind the eye.
2.
Wrap a firm thread base back to the bend, then return the thread to the rear third of the shank.
3.
Cut one tan foam strip and one brown foam strip about the width of the hook gap.
4.
Tie in the tan foam strip on top of the shank at the rear third with the strip extending past the bend.
5.
Tie in the brown foam strip directly on top of the tan strip with the same rearward extension.
6.
Dub a slim Golden Stone Dubbing underbody forward to two eye lengths behind the eye.
7.
Pull both foam strips forward over the dubbed body and bind them down at the rear third with two firm thread wraps.
8.
Add one barred tan rubber leg on each side at that segment, keeping the rear legs about a shank length long.
9.
Advance the thread to the front third, pull the foam strips forward again, and bind them down to form the second body segment.
10.
Add one barred tan rubber leg on each side at the front segment.
11.
Tie in a short bunch of white polypropylene yarn on top of the front segment as a visible wing post.
12.
Tie in a grizzly hackle by the stem at the front of the body and make two or three wraps behind the eye.
13.
Tie off the hackle, trim the excess foam to leave a short squared head, and build a neat thread head.
14.
Whip finish and apply a small drop of black head lacquer.