The creator of this incredibly successful dry fly, Tony Bigg’s, developed this fly specifically for the crystal clear streams and rivers of the Western Cape, however, the Red Assed Bastard, has been used extensively throughout South Africa and with great success. This highly effective fly with it’s long extended hackles, which can be ginger, white, brown or cream in colour, add movement and enables the fly to float & drift naturally above the ripples of the river.
The red colour used in this fly is of great significance, as in the late afternoon, most insects that are on the surface of the water, appear red in colour, thus increasing the effectiveness of this wonderful dry fly.

Dress the hook with the thread.
Tie in a combination of coloured hackle fibres, whichever colours you choice eg: white and brown.
Wrap the thread forward towards the eye of the hook, approximately one third of the shank.
Tie in a few pheasant tail or feather fibres at their middle, ensuring that the tips point forward, wrapping the butt ends of the fibres forward, creating the body and tie off.
Splay the fibres evenly around the shank of the hook, securing their position with a few wraps of the thread.
Tie in either ginger or brown hackle above the legs, with concave side pointing outward, winding the hackle around the shank of the hook a few times.
Tie in the white hackle, ensuring that the concave side faces outwards, winding the hackle around the hook shank a few times and tie off, forming a small thread head at the eye of the hook.