A very simple fly to tie, the Brassie is a requisite in your arsenal for opening day fishing exploits. Tied in the small size I demonstrate here (sz 20), it imitates a midge. You can adjust the pattern to mimic a Caddis Larva as well. The Brassie is effective due to the copper wire weighting down the fly to where the fish are feeding on its own. Further, this is my favorite dropper as it stays down but will not pull the lead fly down.

Materials

1. Mustad – Nymph Sproat – Size 20
2. Black Ultra Thread 70
3. Copper Ultra Wire
4. Black Rabbit Dubbing

Carefully place your hook in the vise. You can de barb the hook at this point. I do not go through the hassle for such a small hook, any bit of hold you can maintain on the Trout’s jaw is worth it.

Start your thread an eye width’s behind the eye. Careful not to crowd in this step as you will need to dub and whip finish later. Work the thread down the shaft to the hook bend and then back to your starting point. This creates a base layer and prevents the copper wire from slipping later.

Now we tie in the wire. I like to start with the wire partially perpendicular, underneath the hook eye and wedge it in there good with a few turns. Then pull back the tag end under the wrappings you just created, this will make a nice, clean starting point.

Wrap your thread down the shaft and back up to your tie in point. This creates a firm base with which we wind the wire up the shaft back to the tie in point.

Wind the wire in tight wraps back up to just before the tie in point. Make four twists of thread over the tag end of the wire. Helicopter the tag end off and locate your dubbing.

Apply as small amount of dubbing to the thread and twist. Do not apply too much,  this is after all a size 20 hook. You can always add more dubbing later, it is more difficult to remove once applied. Some tiers will change the color of the dubbing, a red head looks neat.

Finish dubbing and whip finish in front of the dubbing. If you spaced your tie in part properly, there will be room to get in four turns. Be careful and do not mash your dubbing.

Opening day in New Jersey is next weekend. I plan on deploying this pattern in my nymph rig outs first thing in the morning. The Brassie is both easy to tie and highly effective at any time of the year. When fish are not taking the nymphs you are presenting, it generally means they are too big. Downsize, get the fly down deep and try again!