Wally Eagle’s ostrich-herl nymph, shown here with a bead, pheasant tail and wingcase, and wire rib.
Wally Eagle developed the Feather Duster nymph with ostrich herl from a household feather duster. This beadhead dressing retains the ostrich body and pheasant tail, legs and wingcase described by the West Yellowstone shop and a photographed step sequence.
Work through the numbered steps in order, using the materials list and written proportions as your guide.
01
Seat bead and underbody
Place the bead at the eye and wrap a short run of lead-free wire behind it for the thorax. Cover the wire and hook shank with rusty-dun thread, tapering the underbody.
Bench note Reserve a narrow space immediately behind the bead for the finishing knot.
02
Tie tail and rib
Bind a sparse pheasant-fiber tail at the bend, tips extending about half a shank. Attach fine copper wire at the same rear point and carry the thread forward.
Bench note Keep the tail aligned rather than fanned widely.
03
Wrap the ostrich abdomen
Tie natural gray ostrich herl at the bend and wind a soft body toward the thorax base. Secure the herl, then counter-wrap the copper wire through the body in spaced turns.
Bench note The wire reinforces the delicate herl without flattening all of its fibers.
04
Prepare the pheasant wingcase
At the rear edge of the thorax, tie in a small bunch of pheasant fibers with the tips pointing forward beyond the bead. Leave the butt section loose behind the tie-in for the future wingcase.
Bench note The forward tips will become the legs after the wingcase is closed.
05
Build the thorax and close
Wind another short, fuller section of ostrich herl over the thorax. Split the forward pheasant tips to either side, then pull the loose butts over the thorax and secure them behind the bead.
Bench note Keep the case centered and the two leg groups visible.
06
Finish the beadhead fly
Trim the wingcase waste and form a tight thread finish behind the bead. Clear the eye and check that the tail, legs and soft ostrich body remain distinct.
Bench note Do not bury the pheasant legs beneath the last thread wraps.
Beyond the bench
On the water.
Fish it as a mayfly-style nymph. Arrick’s Fly Shop notes its Callibaetis use on Hebgen Lake; the beadhead version can also be drifted below the surface in streams.
