04-12-2006, 10:09 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 2,051
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Deer Hair Floating Fry
This is the Deer Hair Floating fry. Before we start, when tying this fly remember that you are actually tying it on its side. So any fins go on the side and eyes, gills go on the bottom. You don’t need to put eyes or gills on the top, the fish don’t see that part. Having said that, I have put gills on top and bottom in order to show you two different methods. Also bare in mind that deer hair work is a weak point with me, especially trimming/ sculpting it, try not to be too judgemental.
HOOK – Kamasan B800 #10
THREAD – Grey Danville’s Flat Waxed Nylon
TAIL – White Marabou
BODY – Spun White Deer Hair
+ - Marker Pens
STEP 1
Attach the tread and wind down to the bend, catching in the marabou for the tail as you go.
You will find it easier when trimming later on if you give the marabou a good wetting after you tie it in.
STEP 2
Cut a clump of White Deer Hair, about 1- 1 ½ times the thickness of a pencil and prepare it for tying in by, first combing out any under-fur, use either a comb or your finger nails.
Second, cut the tips off, you don’t need them.
Then offer them up on top of the hook and take one loose wrap of thread round them.
Then pull tight, allowing the hair to spin round the hook and flair.
STEP 3
After you have spun the bundle on, advance the thread through the hair ready for the next bundle.
STEP 4
Gripping the hook tightly immediately behind the bundle pack the hair tight with a packer or if you haven’t got one, you can use an empty bic pen or at worst your fingers. With this type of fly I pack it as tightly as possible to aid flotation. Never forget to grip the hook behind the first bundle though or you will push it all round the bend, or even bend or break the hook.
STEP 5
Continue spinning more bundles of hair, not forgetting to pack every bundle until you reach the point where the gills will be. Now comes the clever bit, which I saw demonstrated by Chris Helm at the fly fair. I did this part on top in case it didn’t work out for me. 
Take some Red Deer Hair, comb out the under-fur and cut to length. Then trap it on your finger with the thread.
Then fold it in half round the thread.
Finally, holding the folded hair by the tips, pull it into the spun bundle.
Then continue spinning and packing more hair until you reach the eye and throw on a whip finish and detach the thread.
STEP 6
Now comes the fun bit, trimming the hair to shape. I use scissors for this job, but you can use a razor blade if you prefer, be careful you don’t cut the tail off. You can do it while it’s still in the vice, but I prefer to take it out and trim it to shape over a bin. Trim to a fish shape, but don’t forget the bottom of the hook is actually the side of the fry. You can trim it to a fish shape without fins or as I have done with this one, with a dorsal fin. You will also see the red hair I used for the gills here.
STEP 7
This is the side the fish will see, hook point down and the side we will be putting the eye on.
Cut a small recess for the eye, or as I have done here, burn a hole with a cauteriser, but be careful you don’t burn too deep and catch the thread.
Then using a dubbing needle, scrape the hole to clear out any brittle hair left from the cauteriser and apply a generous amount of superglue.
Then press the eye into the glue and hold until set.
STEP 8
Another way of making the gill is to simply draw it on with a marker pen.
If you want you can leave it like that, or using some marker pens you can give it a more realistic appearance.
Now just cast in amongst some fry feeders. 
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