The Classics: Daddy

[maharg]

The Classics: Daddy
A crane fly or daddy longlegs is an insect in the family Tipulidae, and a member of diptera, true flies.
At least 4,256 species of crane flies have been recorded. Some are as small as 2mm others, giants of 100mm. The general size in the UK is around 40mm, just a nice mouthful for a hungry trout. On the big Lochs and Loughs of Scotland and Ireland the natural insect has been used to great effect in dapping. It’s also good fun collecting a supply of the naturals from a grassy field.
Poor fliers they often get blown onto lochs and rivers providing the fish with a hearty meal. As they are terrestrials, this is called a “fall” rather than a hatch.
Traditionally a generic pattern such as this is used to copy the natural,


• Hook, longshank 12-8
• Body, pheasant tail fibres or seals fur.
• Rib, gold wire or oval
• Legs, double knotted pheasant tail fibres, six or so.
• Wings, blue dun, grizzle or cree cock hackle points tied either spent or splayed.
• Hackle, red game or ginger cock for the dry or hen for the wet.

I have always found this style somewhat lacking with the extra weight of the long shank hook and the heavy hackle being relied on to provide floatability.
I initially substituted the hook to a smaller, lighter grub hook and did away with the hackle by using foam for the body.


This tended to get a bit mangled to I changed the body to twisted yarn. In this case I have used superbug yarn, in a buff type colour. I have added a thorax cover of foam and a spent poly wing.


I have seen different body colours, right up to flouro’. Suppose anything is worth a try.
These flies can be fished either in running and stillwater to good effect, especially now in the autumn.
I have also used it to throw off balance trout that are feeding selectively on rivers.
More than once I have been covering a rising fish that is taking duns or some tiny fly from the surface. It has refused my imitations, but continues to rise. Through a dry daddy over it and it is likely to have a go.
I hope you have enjoyed this and look forward to any variations of your own that you would like to share.

[flytyingguy]

Superb Graham - That 2nd ones a cracker

[Eddie O'Neill]

Fantastic Graham, the second one is absolutely superb.

[the stig]

Great looking flys will have to try them before season finnish,s

cheers bert

[maharg]

Thanks guys.
The body on the second on is a tan colour but seems a bit white in the photo

[la_jolla1]

Very nice, bet the second could also mimic a dragon fly. I have only tried variations on the first one, tied on a 12 with green floss abdomen, badger hackle, and hackle tip wings.

[flytier07]

Lovely flies,lads. I tied a few up recently with a few legs facing forwards, but doesn't seem to make a lot of difference to the fish, Does anyone know what would work to give Longer legs than pheasant tail fibres or should I try to get longer fibred pheasant tails? And apart from the fact they look nice does it matter to the trout?

[wee b]

One of my fav flies is very similar to the 1st one except it has a peacock glister thorax, absolutley deadly on the stillwaters i fish, great flies though

[christy27]

Interesting post, thanks for the info. I tied this using wings from Ed at Fords Flytying. The wings are such a cinch to tie in. They come in one piece with a tang between them which with a couple of wraps hold quickly and easily in place. They are flexible and can be pushed around a bit to suit, but are robust enough to handle fish attacks. I thoroughly recommend them.

[maharg]

Thanks for the input guys.
Plenty of scope witht he wings.
Hackle points with a bit of buzz, right up to man made ones.
ATB
Graham