Today I want to share this easy pattern with you, but I will tie it without the moose hair and the beaver, but use the materials that is most common today. Besides, I have no beaver pelts hanging up and moose right now is hard to get so I will hang onto my moose for other patterns.
I did however dig out my grandfathers dubbing wallet that I acquired after he passed away. This is the first time I have tied with his dubbing and I just want to see how well it works out.
This is his wallet.
As you can see it has all the different colors itemized.
The materials.
Hooks: Firehole 718 size 20. Any small hook from 20 to 24 will work as long as the eye is straight.
Thread: Grey
Tail: White mayfly tails or just take some bristles off a paint brush.
Wng: you can either use McFlylon or super floss both pictured.
Step 1:
Take your thread and wrap it down to where the barb is or should be if your using barbless hooks like I am. Keep a long tag in case you need it later to separate the tail fibers.
Step 2:
Take your tail fibers and tie them in making an X shape. Make the tails as long as the hook shank. You can also tie them on each side of the hook if that's easier, and if you do, you will need to use the long tag to put in between the fibers and lightly pulled up the shank to separate the fibers. But doing it this way with crossing the fibers the long tag isn't needed.
Step3:
Wrap the thread up to about 2mm from the eye tying in the fibers to secure them down. Then wrap back down to the tail.
Step 4:
Apply your dubbing. You can use any color you want, but natural colors, black, brown, gray and green seem to be the best. After you wrap the dubbing onto the thread, take the thread and go in behind the tails to lift them up and then start wrapping up the hook about 2/3rds of the way.
Step 5:
Take your wing material and if you use the McFlylon cut an inch off and strip away about a 1/3rd of the material and use the 2/3rds that's left. Then tie it onto the hook.
Step 6:
Pull the wing back to expose the eye of the hook and wax the thread and secure it down wrapping to the eye of the hook.
Step 7:
Take your dubbing and dubb in front of the wing wrapping towards the wing and wrap a turn or two to help the wing stand up.
Step 8:
Now wrap the dubbing back down to the eye.
Step 9:
Pull the wing forward over the eye and cut it off at the eye. If you like a shorter wing, cut behind the eye or longer, cut in front of the eye. It's up to you.
Step 10:
You can color the thread to make a head if you wish.
Step 11:
Whip finish it off and you're finished.
Try this fly. It will work for trout and grayling all over the world. I think you'll be very well pleased with it's performance.
