Filoplume Dragon Step - by - Step

**ShaunF** · 05-07-08

Receipe:

Hook: TMC 300 #8
Thread: UTC 140 denier, colour of choice
Tail: Marabou, Section of Mallard flank feather
Abdomen: Aftershaft/Filoplume feathers from Ringneck Pheasant
Thorax: Dubbing
Legs: Back feather from Ringneck Pheasant
Wing Case: Church Window feather from Ringneck Pheasant
Eyes: 100lb burned mono
Rib: Copper Wire

Step 1:

Dress the hook shank with thread down to just above the barb.

Step 2:

Tie in a marabou feather from your Ringneck pheasant skin, or else try to find one that matches the colour of your aftershaft feathers. Tie it in at the tail, and tie in a section of a mallard flank feather on top of the marabou tail.

Step 3:

Tie in a length of copper wire and secure, along with the marabou all the way up to where the abdomen will start. Then tie in your burned mono eyes, making sure you leave enough space in front of them to finish off the head.

Step 4:

Tie in your first aftershaft feather by the tip. Attach your hackle pliers to the base of the feather and wrap forward, stroking the barbs back on each turn so that you don't trap any. Go slowly and carefully as these feathers are extremely delicate and snapping one means removing it and restarting.

When you reach the end of the feather, tie it off with 2 wraps to secure.

Step 5:

Repeat step 4 until you reach the start of the abdomen. You'll need approximately 8-10 feathers to complete a #8 sized fly, excluding any breakages.

Step 6:

Rib the abdome with the copper wire, making sure not to trap any of the filoplume barbs, then prepare and tie in a back feather by the tips and make 2 turns. Stroke the barbs so that there are an equal number on either side of the fly.

**ShaunF** · 05-07-08

Step 7:

Prepare a Church Window feather from below the neck of the Ringneck Pheasant, by stripping off all the webby flue. Place it concave side up on top of the hook shank, with the tips facing forward. Make a single turn of thread over the bare section of the feather, then slowly pull the feather backwards, until just the tips remain trapped. Make several turns to secure.

Step 8:

Mix some dubbing to be slightly darker than the abdomen. Dub a thorax and head, then pull the wingcase over the thorax and head and secure. Whip finish and tie off.

**rols** · 05-07-08

i hope you charged them a "re-tye fee" after they lost the steps

**ShaunF** · 05-07-08

Originally Posted by rols

i hope you charged them a "re-tye fee" after they lost the steps

Heh ! The first time I did it I typed a lang storie about where and how to harvest the aftershaft feathers. Buggered if I was going to do that again !

**rols** · 05-07-08

that info was damn good though......pretty please???

**poppernel** · 05-07-08

Originally Posted by ShaunF

Heh ! The first time I did it I typed a lang storie about where and how to harvest the aftershaft feathers. Buggered if I was going to do that again !

Nice fly Shaun, i just add a flatter body method you missed while you were gone and a more pronounced wing. But i tie this one to. Send Wiets this one and my one.

They are awsome!!!

**Gerrit Viljoen** · 19-08-08

Hi Shaun,

Have you found Olive Marabou to be more successful than Brown Marabou?

Or would u reckon any colour is sufficient depending on the colour of the natural found in your / my area?

Thanks
Gerrit

**Pierre** · 19-08-08

Shaun, next to your classic fly tying, the photos....ek kan my verkyk an elke veer...

**ShaunF** · 20-08-08

Originally Posted by gerrit

Hi Shaun,

Have you found Olive Marabou to be more successful than Brown Marabou?

Or would u reckon any colour is sufficient depending on the colour of the natural found in your / my area?

Thanks
Gerrit

Hi Gerrit,

I tie this fly in brown and olive but tend to fish the olive ones more often as I've obviously subconsciously built up more confidence in them over time. Also, when I've taken the time to go digging around weedbeds looking for insects, the dragon nymphs I find in this part of the world seem to be mostly mottled olive, and get darker in winter.