Hook: Gamakatsu SC15 size 1/0 (I prefer the mustad 34007. Longer shank so more room for collar.)
Thread: 3/0 Rusty Brown
Tail: Rusty Brown Marabou and Silver Mylar Tube Size Small
Body: Pearl Diamond Braid
Flash: Pearl Flashabou
Collar: Rusty Brown and Chartruese Soft Hackle (marabou) Palmered
Step 1: Place hook in vise and wrap thread down to bend
Step 2: Select a piece of "good" marabou. Generally look for a a stem that is long and thin. Strip off 1/2"-1" off the bottom. Prepare your mylar tube by pulling the core out of it. Slip marabou stem inside and pull through to form a tail.
Step 4: Advance thread up hook shank up to where the mylar tube stopped. Tie in pearl diamond braid and wrap towards rear of hook shank, stopping where tail was tied in. Advance thread forward near eye of hook. Palmer braid forward stopping where mylar ended (3/4 up hook shank).
Step 5: Select 3-4 pieces of pearl flashabou. Double it over and cut, then double over again and cut. Tie in just in front of braid.
Step 6: Select 1 or 2 soft hackles (marabou). Clean off lower fuzz and cut thick stem base off. Tie in where you tied in the flashabou. Palmer soft hackle forward. Take your time and make sure you hold hackle fibers back so you do not palmer over them.
Step 7: Select a good piece of chartreuse soft hackle. Clean stem like you did in the previous step. Tie in and palmer 2-3 times, depending how much accent color you want. Form nice taper with room you have left and head cement. *NOTE* Since soft hackle is..well soft.. you can wrap the thread back on it a bit to make a nice taper and get the soft hackle fibers to flow back well.
Hope the step by step inspires you to venture out and try something new or maybe something you haven't done in a while. This is my first soft hackle pattern and I had a good time tying it. As always, feel free to ask questions if you have them.
I just got some of the mylar tubing in a grab bag and had no clue what to make with it. Thanks for the idea. You're flies are really nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stealth! I think that is probably where my mylar tubing came from too! Its one of those materials that sit in my stuff for a while before I find something cool to do.
ReplyDeleteYou could also try out a D.L. Goddard Glass minnow if you feel like messing with epoxy (or better yet, clear cure goo). Here is a link to the master himself, tying it http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xebvfe_how-to-make-the-glass-minnow-fishin_sport