Reproduced by kind permission of Mike N (formally rodkneetrouter)

Credit for this pattern goes to Loren Williams and Alice Conba – both are on the Danica flytying site and more variations of this pattern can be found there. This is my interpretation:

It makes for a very fishy looking fly that can be fished as a wet, or in the surface film with a bit of floatant on the body.

HOOK: KAMASAN B100 (SIZE 12 HERE)
THREAD: UNI-THREAD 6/0 DK BROWN
TAIL: PHEASANT TAIL FIBERS
BODY: ANTRON TO SUIT DESIRED COLOUR (Mix of march brown and hare’s ear in this case).
RIB: FINE GOLD WIRE
WING: CDC OILER PUFF
WING CASE: PHEASANT TAIL
THORAX: HARE’S EAR/ANTRON MIX
LEGS: PARTRIDGE

Step 1. Secure hook in vice with head pointing down (to ease construction of tail). Tie in 4-5 pheasant tail fibres about 1/3 of the way down the hook from the eye (adjust tail length if necessary). Wrap thread over PT fibers around the bend. Leave the excess pheasant tail on the top. (not sure if it shows in this photo, but yes, I know that I wrap ‘backwards’ )



Step 2. Tie in wire rib at tail, dub on a thin tapered body of antron to suit desired colour. Reposition hook to normal, upright position. CARFEFUL not to break any of the tail fibres when doing this (I broke one in the example because it was caught in the vice). Wind dubbing and rib to base of excess pheasant tail and secure.



Step 3. Tie in a CDC oiler puff by the stem directly behind the excess pheasant tail. (You can also use long fibred antron). Take a couple of wraps over the base of the CDC so that the feather lays back a bit over the body. Now wrap the thread forward, over the pheasant tail to about 2 hook eye’s width from the eye. This creates a base for the thorax.



Step 4. Lay the pheasant tail back on itself, and wrap back to the CDC wing. Again, leave the excess, as this will now form the wing case. Dub on a thorax to suit desired colour. (I have used a mixture of hare’s ear fibres and hare’s ear coloured antron for this as I think it makes for a nice bushy thorax.) Wrap dubbed thread forward to the original 2 hook eye's distance position.
Now pull the pheasant over the thorax and tie off as a wing case. Try to flare the pheasant tail fibres a bit so that they spread out a little and make a wider, split case.



Step 5. Clip excess PT fibres. Tie in a partridge feather 1 eye’s distance from the eye with fibres about 1.5 times the hook gape. Tie it in by its tip with the convex side facing up (as you would a spider). Make 1-2 wraps of partridge, preening the feathers back as you go, so that the feathers lay back on the body a bit. Cut off excess, whip finish and cement head if desired. If needed, trim the CDC to suit the body length (as I have done here).

Finished product will look something like this:



Step 6. Catch a fish.

« Last Edit: May 4, 2006, 6:28pm by RodKneeTrouter »

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Retired
www.ukflydressing.co.uk

Thanks for bringing it over B.H!

M

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http://wanderingangler.blogspot.com/

I love the recipe!

I do encourage you to consider using the fur from a water mammal (muskrat, beaver...) for the budding wings instead of CDC. When I designed the pattern I chose that material for a specific purpose--to provide the bouancy to support the fly in the film yet still imitate the protruding wings accurately AND (this is important) to stand up to repeated fish. My issue with CDC is that it fails on #3 without substantial work on the angler's part. I love CDC for wet flies, but notsomuch for dries--at least as a form of bouyancy. Hans has the right idea with his CDC&Elk.

I built the B.O.E based on several successful techniques shown to me through the years so it's not "mine," it's a collage of many of my mentors and icons. Steve Sywensky has been a proponent of using muskrat fur for emergers since I met him in the 80's. The fly itself is just my interpretation of the stage of emergence I find the most intersting...that point where the struggle is maximized as the dun "breaks out" of the nymphal shuck. The "wingcase" is intended to imitate the dun as it starts to work our of the shuck so the color should be representative of such. If tied as designed, the fly should sit in the film and below with only the wing bud supporting it (no floatant please); the tails and legs should be flexible and alive, and the wide thorax should create a rocking motion adding more life to the fly as it rides the riffles where it is intended to be fished. Emergence is a process, not a singular event. The B.O.E attempts to take a snapshot of one stage and replicate it through action and profile.

Alice has put her wonderful skills to work as she has blended her style into the pattern, and I could not be happier.

Have fun with the concept, I just wanted to add my thoughts.

Dear Loren,

I'm quite flattered that you found this post and took the time to write such a thoughtful reply! I think your reasoning about a hair wing is very good - in light of my experience with cdc as well. As tied here, the pattern does need a good drying off every couple of casts. I've been using 2 oiler puffs on more recent attempts at this fly and these tend to float a bit better. Will definitely now try with a hair wing bud.

Thanks for your input! its nice to have feedback directly from the source.

Mike Nye

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Hi Mike,

I think you will enjoy the results. Do not be afraid to use a goodly amount either, it will compress at the tie-in point. The more fur density the better if you are asking the wing to support the fly as I do.

Also, lately I have been using the Partridge OE Emerger hook in the Gray Shadow finish and I think I prefer it over a regular scud hook since I can build a more correctly proportioned mayfly nymph body on it.

Please keep me (or Alice) posted on your results--both with tying and fishing. I am always eager to hear how it is working as well as how folks are improving the tie.

Hi Loren and welcome to the forums.
Just to echo what Mike has said already, it's great that you took the time to give us an insight into the development and reasons behind your fly.
Thank you and hope you stick around for a while

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Retired
www.ukflydressing.co.uk

very nice pattern
have you tested the fly yet

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Cromie

Yes. Used it extensively on the Wrensum in mid may. Floats well with CDC post. Got a couple of hits as a wet after it was waterlogged, but it was a very, VERY slow day, so can't really judge. Have tied a few with antron posts and will give them a try on a river with more fish as soon as I can get out fishing again. hopefully soon - one thing after another every weekend.

M

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http://wanderingangler.blogspot.com/

nice i will try and tie a few of them..

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Cromie

As an update, I put this fly on early in the evening last night just as a hatch of little olives was starting. I tied it on and just flipped some line out through the guides in preparation to roll cast. The fly touched down about rod length from me for about a millisecond and then BAM! A big 'ole brownie broadsided it and took it down. I didn't even have any fly line out yet. I jumped a mile, set the hook way too hard, and popped it out. it was like I cast the thing right into this fish's mouth. must have put it right on top of him (unknowingly). anyway, this is turning out to be a really great little fly, but it is pretty much one fish only before it sinks with the cdc wing post. I still have yet to try one with an antron wing, but when I do, I'll post on it.

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