Fly Tying Inventory
Olive Willy
Olive Willy is a stillwater fly that Cheech of Fly Fish Food picked up as a local pattern at Swede's Fly Shop in Woodinville, Washington, in 2003. Pheasant rump dyed chartreuse turns olive with speckles, giving the fly its tail and soft hackle collar over a dark olive chenille body. A red rabbit overwing and ruby glass bead finish it. Cheech has taken trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass and bluegill on it, and it does especially well in early summer when damsel nymphs are active. Tied here on a size 10 hook.
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Materials
Fish Hunter Ringneck Pheasant Rump Patch, fl. chartreuse (UV), fluff for the tail and the rest of the feather for the soft hackle collar
Fl. Chartreuse (UV)
Chenille, dark olive, medium
Dark Olive · Medium
Rabbit Zonker Strips, red, fur cut from the hide for the overwing
Red
How to Tie the Olive Willy
- 1
Step 1
Slide the ruby glass bead onto the hook and mount the hook in the vise.
- 2
Step 2
Start the red thread behind the bead and wrap back to the bend.
- 3
Step 3
Pull the fluff from the base of a chartreuse rump feather and tie it in at the bend for the tail. Bind the butts down and trim any excess.
- 4
Step 4
Tie in the chenille at the base of the tail and advance the thread toward the bead.
- 5
Step 5
Wrap the chenille forward, stopping short of the bead to leave room for the collar and wing. Tie it off and trim the excess.
- 6
Step 6
Take the remaining rump feather, stroke the fibers back and tie it in by the tip in front of the chenille.
- 7
Step 7
Wrap the feather soft hackle style for a sparse collar. Tie off the stem and trim it.
- 8
Step 8
Sweep the collar fibers back with your fingers and make a few thread wraps in front of them so they lean toward the tail.
- 9
Step 9
Cut a small clump of red rabbit fur from the zonker strip.
- 10
Step 10
Tie the fur in on top of the shank behind the bead as a short overwing and trim the butts.
- 11
Step 11
Whip finish behind the bead and cut the thread.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4rZ8v_Xc9M
Credit: Cheech / Fly Fish Food