The Shuttlecock Bloodworm Barbless Size 12 is an example of an inverted fly design. Natural bloodworms normally live in or close to the soft bed of a stillwater, but this pattern deliberately places their familiar red colour and flexible movement at the surface. The shuttlecock wing supports the fly in the film while the mobile bloodworm-style body hangs below.
This is not intended as a literal imitation of where a natural bloodworm would normally be found. Instead, it combines a recognised food signal with an unusual surface location to create a vulnerable, conspicuous trigger for cruising trout. Fish it on a floating line, leave it static in a ripple or use tiny draws followed by long pauses. Treat only the supporting wing with a suitable floatant.