Bling Mayfly Step by Step

[dlampert]

I have been fishing this pattern for a while with good success during mayfly hatches and as a general searching pattern. I got the idea from Grant Kieser's excellent Moonshine Mayfly Nymph - if a flash body works so well in nymph form surely it would be just as effective in adult form?

Hook: Skalka Extra Fine Dry 2 Size #14
Thread: Gordon Griffiths Sheer thread
Post: Metz Fl. Red Antron
Tail: Coq de Leon
Body: Saltwater Flashabou
Thorax: CDC

Step 1
Secure the post to the hook shank and make a couple of wraps up the post.



Step 2
Run the thread to the hook bend and create a thread bump. Tie in 6 - 8 Coq de Leon feather fibres behind the post and run the thread up to the bump to splay the tail.



Step 3
Stretch some salwater Flashabou (see here for details) and tie in behind the post. Wrap the flashabou down towards the tail and then back up to behind the post and tie off. The black thread underbody with flashabou overbody gives a nice translucent effect similar to the natural.



Step 4
Split the thread and insert a single half CDC feather into the loop (see here for details of this technique). Wrap the CDC loop around the post as if you were hackling with cock hackle. Wrap from the top of the post down and ignore the trapped fibres - your last couple of wraps will give you decent legs. This one is slightly overhackled but will aid floatation in faster water. Finish the fly with a couple of half hitches behind the eye. Trim the post and you are ready to fish!



Step 5
The completed Fly

[Michael]

Nice fly Darryl! Should slay trout on this one. Shall definitely be tying some of these up.

Cheers
Mike

[Rendier]

Nice! Will give it a bash tomorrow

[MaXiMuM]

Nice Darryl...

[JanK]

A beauty...

[nkula_nkula]

Seen that fly before!!!

Nice pattern, SBS & photography....

[poppernel]

Great pattern Darryl.

Dave

[markdej]

Shot Darryl!

The sheer thread you use looks very cool!

I see that the thread looks white because of the camera flash, but keeps the base tone in the wraps Does it catch light well (the tread)?


Mark

[dlampert]

Hi Mark,

I use the Gordon Griffiths thread because it's very strong, very thin and splits easily. I am not too concerned about what it looks like as long as it holds the material on the hook The flash does make it look white - dialed it down a bit but obviously not enough.

[Beetle]

Hi Darryl,
Nice looking fly have you tried different colors for the hackle and body?
i use one very similar with a black Flashabou body and a natural CDC feather for the hackle.
Cheers
Ian