V-Rib Klinkhammer              Click for Full Size image of the V-Rib Klinkhammer

Hook:  Dry Fly  TMC 100 # 16 - 22

Thread: Thread to Match Natural 8/0

Breathers:    White Foam

Rib: Copper Wire

Thorax: Peacock Herl 

1/ First off wrap a base of thread. Then get a small amount of Hi-Vis fibres to make the wing. Use an amount half as thick as shown here but twice as long. Tie in horizontally halfway along the clump of Hi Vis leaving you with half on the left and half on the right side of the hook when viewed from above. Grip the Hi Vis and hold it vertically in place while several horizontal wraps are used as a base to tie the hackle on. Trim the wing. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 1
2/ Next wind a thread base to the rear of the fly. Once again we use the hook barb as a guide winding the thread to a point just above this. Now get 2 pieces of flashabou or Krystal Flash or similar and tie in as a tail/shuck. This must be from a highly reflective material to create the illusion of a trailing shuck. Trim the excess and go to Step 3. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 2
3/ Take a piece of V-Rib in the colour to suit (brown) and tie in at the rear of the fly as we have done the ribbing in many of the previous fly patterns featured. Make sure it is tied in very firmly and remove any excess material so that it can later be wound on flat with no protruding hump in it. When it looks like the accompanying photo wind the thread forward to the wing post and move to step 5.  Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 4
4/ Now taking the v-rib between the thumb and forefingers of your right hand (reverse for left handed tier) and wind forward to the wing post. Turns should be away from you in the clockwise direction with each successive turn just forward of the previous ones. Tie off and trim the excess and then wind the thread to the front of the wing. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 5
5/ Now select one piece of peacock herl and tie in. Be sure to tie in thick side up as shown. Remove any excess herl. You can if you wish use more herl or even a brown dubbing for the thorax although I have had the most success using the one strand of herl. If you do choose to use a dubbing use something with a bit of movement like seals fur. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 5
6/ Find a good feather from your cape. I would recommend using one from a cape and not a saddle as the tapering of these feathers makes for much nicer parachute style flies. Tie it in at the back of the wing with the shiny side facing slightly towards you and upwards. This will greatly help when winding it in later. Trim the excess Feather stub and bring the thread forward to the hook eye. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 6
7/ Being very careful not to break the herl wind it forward to the thread and tie off. As with the v-rib abdomen wind away from you in a clockwise direction with each successive turn to the front of the previous one. Try and get a nice plump thorax. When this is finished secure it and remove the excess herl once again. Add a half hitch for strength and as insurance. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 7
9/ Now wind in the hackle. Wind the hackle around the wing post in a clockwise direction. Use between three and five turns with each successive turn beneath the previous one. When complete take the thread and make three horizontal turns catching the hackle feather and locking it in place. The first over the feather, second under and the third over it again.. Add a couple of half hitches behind the eye to finish. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 8
10/ This is how the fly should look when viewed from above. Note the hackle is quite sparse and is just enough to float the fly. This should be varied depending on the water to be fished and as this fly is more often used in the chop around Ballarat or Tasmania's Central Highlands more hackle is often used. A rule of thumb is the calmer the water the less hackle. Tying the V-Rib klinkhammer Step 10

The Pattern

This is another Klinkhammer variant which we have had a lot of success with when fishing in Tasmania. Many of our clients have taken them over and caught a lot of fish with them too. The colouration makes them extremely visible in the water (good profile) and the lighter coloured wing aids the angler when struggling to see it on the waters surface. Tie some up with a darker Hi-Vis wing to match the hatch a little better.

The use of v-rib is mainly to get that segmented profile that the nymphs display and whether or not this is the reason for why it is eaten so often who can say, but it's a nice thought. We tie them in smaller sizes and different colours too in an attempt to match locally hatching insects. A simple fly to tie and hopefully it introduces you to a different use for this material.

Good fishing!

Antony, David and Geoff.