
TYING AN ADAMS KLINK
The Adams is a traditional dry fly imitating mayflies, caddis, and midges. Leonard Halladay invented The Adams in 1922 at the request of Charles Adams. The Klinkhamer, on the other hand, was invented by Hans von Klinken in the early 80’s. I do not know who created the Adams Klink, but I know this is a fly worth having in your fly box.
Materials for Adams Klink
Part: | Materials: | Size/Color: |
Hook: | Partridge | Klinkhamer #12 |
Thread: | UTC | Red 140 |
Wing: | Antron | Tan |
Hackle: | Dry Fly Hackle | Brown and Grizzly |
Tag: | UTC | Red 140 |
Rib: | UTC | Mylar Pearl Medium |
Body: | Hare’s Ear | Natural |
Video Instructions on How to Tie a Adams Klink
Video coming soon.Slideshow on How To Tie a Adams Klink
Step 1 – Tie In the Wing and Hackle
Start tying in your tying thread. Remember, this is not a Klinkhamer but an Adams Klink, so there will not be any thorax area. You should tie the wing in, leaving just enough room for the head of the fly.
Tie in the Antron yarn facing forward over the hook’s eye. Post it upwards by wrapping a few thread turns around the wing. Tie in the brown hackle feather with the shiny side towards you. Continue by tying in the grizzly hackle feather, with the shiny side towards you.
Trim of excess Antron and hackle stems at an angle. Doing this will help you get a tapered body. Post both hackle feathers with the wing.
Step 2 – Make the Tag and Body
Tie in the Mylar Pearl tinsel. Make even thread wraps to tie down the excess Antron and hackle stems and taper the body. Build up a small tag down the hook’s bend. You can secure the tag with a drop of varnish. Make a small dubbing noodle and start making wraps around the hook shank until you reach the wing post. Rib the fly with the Mylar Tinsel.
Step 3 – Hackle the Fly
Start wrapping the brown hackle around the wing post. Each turn under the other. The shiny side of the fibers should be facing down. This will let the fly sit lower on the surface film. Tie off the brown hackle feather at the head. Continue wrapping the grizzly hackle feather around the wing post and tie it off at the head. Complete the fly with a whip finish or a few half-hitches and some varnish.
How to Fish the Adams Klink
According to Gary Borger, the caddis, mayflies, and midges have five stages of emergence. The Adams Klink imitates the 3rd stage, where the adult insect pulls itself out of the nymphal skin. In this stage, the insect’s nymphal skin will be hanging from the surface film, while the adult insect will start crawling out on top of or in the surface film. The emergers in this stage are highly visible to the fish. Match the size of the Adams Klink with the hatch and target rising fish upstream with dead drifts.

