Materials;1” Copper tube
Power Silk
Gold Mylar Tinsel
Gold Angel Hair
UV Hot Orange Ice Dub
Fine Oval Gold Tinsel
Schlappen Black feather
Schlappen Orange feather
2 x Junglecock feathers
Orange Templedog
Black Arctic Fox
Orange Krystal Flash
1) Set tube in vise (I’m waiting for a proper tube holder so have held it in this manner temporarily) and I’ve set it to approx where the plastic hook sleeve will terminate. Wax thread and apply a few wraps.
2) Catch in Gold Mylar Tinsel and wrap down the tube. I’ve opened the wraps along the BODY section but closed the wraps where the TAG will sit. Bring the thread back up to the tag tying off point, still in close wraps.
3) I apply a touch of ZAP-A-GAP along the tag area and wind the on the Mylar tinsel. Hopefully a little neater than this! Tie off the tinsel.
4) Tie in a few strands of Angel Hair. This should be done by taking a length of fibres, approx. half the amount of strands required and tying them in at their midpoint. Folding back and locking down the forward facing fibres will make up the volume and ensure that they are secure. Cut fibres to desired length.
5) Bring the thread back to where the wing will be tied in and tie in the Oval Gold Tinsel. Rotating the vise allows the tinsel to be tied along the underside of the tube reducing the bulk at the top of the dressing. Bring the tinsel down to where the body dubbing will begin.
6) Wax the thread and spin on a decent rope of UV Hot Orange Ice Dub.
7) Dub the body and secure with 4 turns of the Oval Gold Tinsel. Unwinding the Gold outer layer from the inner core allows the tinsel to be tied off with less bulk.
8) Tie in a wing of Orange Templedog ensuring the underfur is removed to reduce bulk.
9) Tie in 4 strands of Orange Krystal Flash using the same ‘doubling over’ method as used for the Angel Hair. Cut to desired length.
10) Tie in a decent length of Black Arctic Fox over the Templedog underwing again remove any underfur to reduce bulk.
11) Select a suitable Black Schlappen feather for the secondary hackle and tie in. Holding the stem of the feather at an angle to the tube allows the fibres to be stroked backwards and upwards which is required to form a nice hackle (I’m still trying to perfect this) also wetting the fingers helps to keep the fibres facing in the right direction.
12) Make 3 turns of hackle, continually stroking the fibres backwards and tie off. Trim excess.
13) Perform the same steps with the Orange Schlappen primary hackle.
14) Tie in another 4 strands of Orange Krystal Flash. Length is to personal preference.
15) Select 2 suitable Junglecock feathers and remove the fibres from along the stem leaving only the eye sections. Tie them in symmetrically along the centre of the tube. Fold over both stems so that they are backwards facing and bind down. Cut off excess stems.
16) Select 2 Peacock Herl fibres from the feather and run your thumbnail in an arc along them, this will give the curve that allows them to follow the profile of the wing. Tie them in at the head and bind down securely. Remove excess at head & tail if necessary. I have no preference as to whether the natural tapered tip of the herl reaches the tip of the over wing or if the herl is cut abruptly at that point.
17) Apply a drop of superglue to the thread and finish off head. I have coloured the white thread with a red marker as I’ve run out of Black Power Silk & can’t find my Black marker??? but I think it makes for a nice finish. I apply a coat of Sally Hansen HAN just to finish off.
18) Some previous samples. I think this is a basic but versatile fly, tying them in Black & Orange, Black & Yellow, Black & Green will, I’m sure cover a few angles for you.
