Skinny May SBS

[MCC]

Skinny May

Step 1
Place small 1.5 mm Tungsten bead on hook - build up a small bump of thread under bead so that it sits straight.
Wrap thread from front to rear. When you reach the tie in point for the tail spin the bobbin in order to really wind the thread up tight and take two turns of thread on the same spot in a mini figure of eight wrap. This creates a small bump which will split the tail fibres. Now wrap the thread forward to the thorax area in wide loops in order to not minimise your bump.

Step 2
Pick a maximum of five Coc de Leon fibres and tie these in along with a piece of Kevlar Thread (Roman Moser Power Silk). While holding these on top of the shank, wrap them down all the way to the bump. When you reach the bump, let go and the tail will flare out. Keep thread wraps to an absolute minimum in this area - one, maybe two wraps only.

Step 3
Tie in a Turkey Biot and build up a slight taper in the body.

Step 4
Wrap the biot and rib with the Kevlar. Tie off & trim in the thorax area.

Step 5
Dub a thorax. This one has a thorax of squirrel dubbing done in a loop but you can do a simple hot spot or get creative with cdc legs etc.

Done.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Excellent thanks MC,

I'm still struggling with the bump,pete knows why.Oh now I know,I didn't do a fig 8.I tried bumping it on one place.

What I do is take a turn of thread behind or under the CDL,pulling the thread tight against it and to the right.I get the same effect ie flaired tails.

I'll try ur method again soon.

It really looks good

G

[smallstreams.co.za]

Great pattern MC. Question, how would you fish it? Part of a heavier team, or fish shallower sections?

Thanks

[MCC]

Gerrit & Mario

I find that the "Thread-under-ass" method tends to pull the tail to one side and maybe too far up.

I fish this pattern, as you say, as part of a team when nymphing. Generally the heavy fly would be a #16 PTN Jig with this pattern slightly higher up. It is fished on a kind of French/Long range Czech nymph rig with a mono indicator. Deadly at the beginning of the season when water levels are up.

It also fishes well on a Dry & Dropper rig but I tend to avoid mixing dries and nymphs. Neither fly fishes perfectly (drag).

Cheers
MC

[ShaunF]

Hi MC,

Awesome looking fly, thanks for sharing.

Shaun

[smallstreams.co.za]

Deadly at the beginning of the season when water levels are up.

Ironic that the sparser flies are deadly in higher/faster water. One would imagine that a more bulky fly would be easier to spot in the fast water.

Makes one think again about the Anorexic range of flies so popular in the UK Lochs and Lakes ...

[dar]

....... drools on keyboard........ nice fly MC!

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Hi Mc,

Two more questions from my side.

1.Seeing that I haven't used Kalkoen yet I wanna ask whether u can use H-pliers to wrap the biot or can u use ur fingers?

2.Which way is the best way to wrap the biot and why?Clock or anti clockwise?

Thanx
G

[MCC]

Gerrit

I use HP to wrap the biot. It is almost an inch long but a pair of HP wraps it more accurately.

Basically it works like this: If you pull (as opposed to cut) a Biot of the feather stalk, you will notice that there is a small dent at the base of the feather. (Check that out)

Let's always presume that you will wrap in a clockwise direction, then:

If the biot is tied in with the dent/gap facing down, the ridge will show when wrapping the biot.

If the biot is tied in with the dent/gap facing up, then the biot wraps completely flat. The ridge is trapped under the biot.

The natural curve of a biot makes it aesier to tie in as per the first version.

Go pluck a biot and look for the gap.

Cheers
MC

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Thanx Mc,

After reading my post/question again just now I feel kinda dumb cause it aint reading intelligently. Sorry,it was still quite early for me.

What I meant to ask was,assuming u want the ridged look for great segmentation other than a smooth flat one,is it better to wrap the biot from up over far side then under coming back to u or rather close to u under over the top back to u?

I hope u comprend what I'm asking.I know Gary and Jacques do their caddis ribbings this way ie 1st going under then over,then back to u(I understand this to be anti clockwise)

So I was just wondering if wrapping a biot this way will work the same and give a "better" look than the way u tied in the turkey.

G