Wet fly / Pattern notes

Barry’s Carp Bitter

An olive swimming fly with soft hackle, marabou, rubber legs, and a bright head.

From hook to fly

At the vise.

4 steps

Follow this base recipe in order. The materials list specifies one hook size; adjust proportions together when tying another size.

Weight
Add a few wire turns. Cover with olive thread and secure bead-chain eyes behind the hook eye.
Tail and body
Tie a short marabou tail at the bend. Dub forward, adding a rubber strand on each side to form paired legs.
Collar
Wrap a sparse hen-hackle collar behind the eyes. Secure and trim the stem.
Hot head
Switch to orange thread and build a small head at the eyes. Whip finish, cement, and trim legs to the body length.

Beyond the bench

Present to visible carp and let the fly swim or settle with small controlled movements.

Tied by independent makers

No tyers have listed this pattern yet. Request a custom version, or add your own fly to the library.

Original written instructions adapted from the sources below. Materials and methods may vary between versions.