How to Tie a Royal Wulff Dry Fly
Learn how to tie a Royal Wulff Dry Fly including step-by-step instructions, a video tutorial, pictures, and much more. Improve your fly tying skills here.
Did you find this video helpful? We've got hundreds more just like it. Subscribe to Trident's YouTube Channel and enhance your fly-tying skills. New videos are posted frequently in a variety of different patterns.
Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing reviews to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. We are not a blog or a review site. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us.
The Royal Wulff is an attractor dry fly that's great for any trout fishing scenario. Whether you're targeting trout or bass, the Royal Wulff is a must-have in any angler's fly box. This fly imitates a variety of insects and is an ideal imitation for large mayflies like Drakes. It can also be used to prospect small streams for native trout that aren't as picky as technical tailwater trout. Follow along as Jared shows you how to tie a variation of one of the most popular dry flies in history - the Royal Wulff.
Materials:
- Daiichi 1170 Traditional Dry Fly Hook - Size 12
- UNI Waxed Midge 8/0 Thread - Tan
- Hareline Para Post Wing - White
- Hareline Dyed Deer Body Hair - Rusty Brown
- UTC Ultra Wire - Small, Silver
- Hareline Strung Peacock Herl
- UNI Single Strand Super Floss - Red
- Whiting Dry Fly Hackle 1/2 Saddle - Grizzly Golden Brown
Step One:
Start your thread and tie in the Hareline Para Post Wing. Use a cross wrap to tie in the wing at a 45-degree angle leaving about 1/3 of the Para Post Wing material behind the thread wraps and 2/3 in front. Use figure 8 wraps to secure the two sides of the wing in place then wrap up the post to angle the wing upward. Taking a couple of wraps around each post can also help gather materials and keep the wing in place.
Step Two:
Tie in the Deer Body Hair for the tail of the fly. Measure the Deer Body Hair so it extends the width of the hook gap and strip out the under fibers. The tail should be roughly the length of the body. Tie in the Deer Hair on top of the hook shank with loose wraps so it doesn't flare too much. Trim the excess hair after you're happy with the length and position of the tail.
Step Three:
Tie in the Ultra Wire which will be used to rib the body. Tie the wire in just behind the wing and wrap your thread back to the tail to secure it in place.
Step Four:
Choose two stands of Peacock Herl, tie them in, and wrap them forward to create the back segment of the body. Tie the strands in just in front of the tail, twist the two stands together for increased durability, and take 3-4 wraps forward. Tie the strands off and wrap your thread forward to just behind the wing so the excess Peacock Herl extends the length of the body. Don't trim the excess herls... they'll be used to create the front segment of the body later.
Step Five:
Next, tie in the Red Floss in front of the wrapped Peacock Herl and wrap the floss forward to create the middle segment of the body. Tie in the floss so it extends the length of the body, move your thread forward, and wrap the floss to create the red middle body. Tie off the floss and trim the excess so there's no tag end.
Step Six:
Take the Peacock Herl and wrap it forward 3-4 times again to create the third segment of the body. After a few wraps, tie off the herls right behind the wing and trim the excess.
Step Seven:
Wrap the UTC Ultra Wire forward using open turns to rib the body of the fly. This step isn't traditional but it adds durability to the fly without adding too much weight. Tie off the wire just behind the wing of the fly and helicopter the excess wire off. Advance your thread to just behind the eye of the hook.
Step Eight:
Choose two Dry Fly Hackle feathers, trim off the fuzzy parts, and tie them in in front of the wing. Trim the stems and start by wrapping forward behind the wing then in front of the wing to create the head of the fly. Wrap the feathers to just behind the eye of the hook then tie them off and whip finish. And you're done! That's Jared's version of the Royal Wulff dry fly.
Questions?
Give us a call here at the shop at (888) 413-5211 or email us anytime at [email protected].
