Although, in my experience it is rare that the Sulphur Mayfly Dun (Ephemerella Invaria, Ephemerella Dorothea) is actively sought by feeding trout, I did experience a day this summer on the River Hodder when the trout did switch onto the Yellow May Dun (emerging) in preference over a sporadic (but present) adult sedge hatch. That evening I returned to my vice and tied a few Yellowhamers, Foam Emergers, and this pattern, which is based on one of Steve Thornton’s Emerging Mayfly patterns.



Hook: Turral Sedge/Waterwisp Dry Fly 8-12
Thread: Dyneema/Spiderweb
Tail: Porcupine Guard Hair Tips
Abdomen: Translucent Nymph Skin (Coloured with Yellow & Brown perma pens)
Thorax: Cream CDC (Dubbed)
Thorax Cover: Yellow Foam
Wings: Pearl or Polythene sheet
Para Wing: White Cock Hackle
Eyes: 25lb Yellow Mono

Step 1
Insert the hook in the vice in an inversed position, attach the thread.




Step 2
Attach 3 Porcupine Guard Hair Tips at the eye of the hook.




Step 3
Re-insert the hook the correct way around, run the thread 3/4 of the way up the shank and tie in a 3-4cm section of nymph skin.




Step 4
Take the thread back to the eye of the hook, stain the nymph skin using a yellow perma pen, wind the nymph skin down the hook shank gradually increasing the tension and secure at the head.




Step 5
Rotate the hook in the vice, using a brown perma pen run two lines along the back of the abdomen, and re-attach the thread.




Step 6
Tie in a 4mm wide section of yellow foam, and a white cock hackle.




Step 7
Tie in a wing either side of the fly, in this case I've shaped the wing from a pearl sheet, but a translucent poly sheet would be a closer representation.




Step 8
Using a dubbing needle, split the thread and dub some cream cdc (MP Magic Tool Style) in between the two strands.




Step 9
Dub the thorax using the cdc, 1/2 way along the thorax pull the tag left over from the pearl sheet and shape into a curved wing shape (you should now have two small wings on each side on the thorax).




Step 10
Turn the fly on it's side, using the foam post rotate the cock hackle around the base (Klinkhamer Style) to form a parachute wing.




Step 11
Secure the cock hackle in place, pull the rear foam post toward the head of the fly to form a thorax cover, secure in place, and trim the excess.




Step 12
Tie in a short section of 25lb mono, trim each side to leave a 2-3mm stub on each side.




Step 13
Use a hot point, melt the mono eyes to form a small set of eyes. Pull the front foam section back over the eyes leaving a couple of cdc strands pointing forward, secure, and remove the excess foam. Colour the foam thorax using a yellow perma pen to darken it slightly.



Run a dubbing needle through the thorax to loosen a few strand of the cdc, add a drop of varnish to the head and tail at the tie off points.


Regards,
Terry

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Terry thats an amazing step by step, Does the nymph skin not weigh it down? ...but the foam and cdc should aid alot of bouyancy i suppose so it should float like a cork

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Cromie

Exactly what I first thought Cromie when I looked at Steve Thornton's version, when in actual fact the nymph skin adds that little bit of weight to help the fly sit as it should (chest high) in the surface film. Tying the cock hackle around the foam post (Klinkhamer style) helps the buoyancy. I often suspend tungsten bead PTNs underneath a Klinkhamer pattern without them sinking.

Regards,
Terry

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I could eat that fly myself I just tied one there now and i did it for fun. I tied it with any type of material i could find. I will post the pic now!! Its uploading

OK here it is.

I used shellback for the body, had nothing for wings Burnt of half of my hackle when melting the mono eyes Forgot to colour the foam in before i varnished it and tied the tail on top on the hook instead of underneath. Didn't like the look of my result when i winded the cdc around the shank so i trimmed it



Hmmm, i think it would still catch a hungry trout

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Cromie

terry this is one of the best flytying step by step I have ever seen.
Excellent.
thanks

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New barbless hooks are here

That is cool, how do you find the hookup on a fly fished in that position compared to conventionally fished flies?

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Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

Not as good as a klink, but better than standard dries. The wide gape Waterwisp or Turrall hooks help.

Regards
Terry

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www.gamefishingguide.co.uk

Terry, do you fish these more life like patterns more than ordinary flies? If so do you ever come across the problem of your artificial not being picked out from many naturals?

__________________
Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.

t1978d,

I tend to match what the fish are feeding on as closely as possible, If I'm sure they are feeding on a particular insect/stage I use the closest immitation I have. If I'm not sure what the fish are rising to then I tend to use a trusted searching pattern, usualy the Klinkhamer. So I guess the greater my knowledge increases of the waters I fish, the fish feeding patterns, and insect identification, the more close copy patterns become the focus.

A pattern such as this Yellow May Eemerger gets used very rarely. There may only be a handful of days each year when the fish are actively feeding on an Emerging Yellow May, and for this pattern to be effective you have to be on the water at that particular time. The same pattern in Danica colours get used a little more frequently. Some might argue that there's no point in spending the time at the vice tying close copy immitations that will only get used once every couple of years, but I enjoy the tying almost as much as the fishing itself. If I can't get out fishing then tying is the next best thing.

I also carry a few close copy smut, sedge, daddy, and olive patterns that get used very regularly throughout the season.

I've never had a problem with close copy immitations not being picked out, quite the opposite in fact. One of the club stillwaters I fish contains some very very picky trout, and although they are free rising, anything but a well presented close copy immitation is ignored.

If fish are ignoring a close copy immitation, and you know they are feeding on the insect and stage that the pattern is representing, then I'd argue it can only be down to the way the pattern is being presented.

Hope that helps.

Regards,
Terry

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www.gamefishingguide.co.uk

Thanks Terry, I'm sure the tying is as enjoyable. I never thought I'd go for the real imitatvie approach but I must get some nymph skin.

__________________
Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.