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The Omoe Brush

This fly is originally meant to be an imitation of a small clamworm like a small Nereis, but can be considered a generic pattern more than an exact imitation of these polychaetes. It takes its outset in the red body feathers of the Golden Pheasant.

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The originator
In the wild
Brush-caught fish
The Omoe Brush and its originator Ken Bonde Larsen
Henning Eskol - Ken Bonde Larsen

The Omoe Brush could have been called the Brush from Om Island (Omø in Danish), but Omoe Brush is more like the Danish name. Pronounce the word Omoe as uhm-eh, and you will sound almost Danish.
The name refers to clamworms or ragworms, which are literally called brush worms in Danish, and the fact that the originator Ken Bonde Larsen tied the fly first on the island Om in Denmark.

It's originally meant to be an imitation of a small clamworm like a small Nereis, but can be considered a generic pattern more than an exact imitation of these polychaetes. The color and materials are quite simple. Taking its outset in the red body feathers of the Golden Pheasant, the Omoe Brush is a rich, rusty nuance of red, and as such not a complex fly. It's simple to tie, and uses only three materials in its basic form: a bit of flash, rusty brown yarn and the red body feathers.

The fly has since branched out a bit, and Ken ties a smaller variation using red-brown chenille and bead chain eyes. But apart from that he has staid very true to the fly as it was first tied.

I have tied and caught fish on versions using the yellow pheasant feathers in combination with a light tan body rather than the red ones over a dark body. This version of the fly looks much like a yellowish shrimp, but most of my Omoe Brushes have been red like Ken's original.

The alternative hackling method, which is described further down in this article came even later, and is just a way of hackling, which to some tiers are easier than winding the short-stemmed and fragile pheasant feathers.

Front view
Side view
Front and side
Martin Joergensen
A flounder
A flounder
Henning Eskol

Omoe Brush

A great looking Danish sea trout fly AKA Omøbørsten.

Cold saltwater fly
Ken Bonde Larsen
sea trout (sea run)
Materials
Hook Saltwater streamer hook, #6-2
Weight Lead free wire
Tying thread Red
Tail A few straws of clear flash and a small red Golden Pheasant body feather
Body Three sections of rusty brown yarn
Hackles Three red Golden Pheasant body feathers
Head Tying thread
See how to tie it in the image sequence in this article.
Easy
Step 25 - varnish
Last step - varnish
Martin Joergensen


Tiling the hackle

If you struggle with the short and brittle hackle stems of the Golden Pheasant body feathers, you can consider two strategies: treat your Golden Pheasant skin with hair conditioner to soften and strengthen the feathers or use a simple "tiled" hackle technique as shown here:

Black hook, black thread
Ken Bonde Larsen

Smaller version with eyes

The last version of this fly is tied on a smaller hook, has a set of bead chain eyes and has only two body sections and two hackles. This is a typical autumn fly here and can be tied down to a size 10 hook. Select chenille or yarn as well as feathers that suits the size of the final fly, which can be fairly thick bodied.

Step XIII - varnish
Final step
Martin Joergensen

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