Medium or light wire hook in the vice - I prefer a standard shank. Size 10 or 12 - partridge hackles are a bit big for smaller hooks.
This pattern uses brown partridge hackle - from a grey partridge! Yellow thread works well but any thread colour is fine. Sort a small bunch of barbs for a tail.
Tie in the tail on top of the shank. Tail should be about the length of the shank.
Tie in a rib on the side of the hook, oval gold or gold wire is fine.
Wrap a smooth underbody, tying down the tail and rib.
With the thread at rear of the shank. Dub the thread with hare's ear dubbing or similar - I prefer natural squirrel which dubs on more easily.
Cover the body in touching turns. I prefer to keep the body slim and more or less level.
Follow the dubbing with the gold rib, in open even turns. On a wet fly, five turns of rib is traditional.
Choose a well marked brown partridge feather. Strip away the fluff at the base of the feather and the longest barbs. I try to measure the longest barbs so they come to the rear of the hook or just longer than the bend.
Tie in the hackle by the tip. The good side of the feather should be facing out.
Wrap the hackle. I fold the barbs back and wrap about 2 turns.
Wrap a small head, I like to fold the stem back and form the head over the stem. Whip finish , trim the waste and thread, varnish the head.
Fish as an emerger, just under the water surface. Works well early season when March Browns and similar upwing flies are hatching mid-stream.
