Hook: Dry fly hook (I use Hanak)
Body: Thread (Easy Dub from Textreme in this case)
Indicator: Poly Yarn
The body is in the original pattern just tying thread, which of course still works fine. Fish don't have history classes and if a fly fooled fish 40 years ago, it will still do today. So let's be honest here: I used the easy dub thread for sparkle and appeal to the fisherman's eye. A fly can't catch a fish if it never gets tied to a leader.
Turn the thread around the hook shank, body is done. It looks better, if you create a bit of a taper with your tying thread before, but fish won't notice. Take two CDC feathers for the wing. I like them a tiny bit longer than the hook shank and tie them in like the hair in an elk hair caddis. Since I am getting old(-er), I tied in some poly yarn over the CDC. It really helps with added visibility in the late evenings. The whip finish should press hard against the feathers and yarn. After the whip finish I clip the feather stems and the yarn as close to the head as I dare. It is not a beautiful as clipping the short and then tie the whip finish over it, but much more durable.
So why do you need lots of food and fishermen for this fly pattern to really shine?
- You need plenty of food for the fish to key in on a certain size.
- You need high fishing pressure with C&R in order to teach fish to avoid big buggy flies
Fishing buggy bigger flies has the advantage to draw the fish from greater distances. Only if fish avoid these big bugs, smaller and sparser patterns are more effective. In return your presentation has to be with quite some accuracy, since fish won't move far for a tiny snack. This is the reason why many beginners come to the conclusion, that patterns like the F-Fly don't work. You need the right waters and your fly fishing skill set has to be better than beginner level in order to benefit fro this great design. Sorry for being brutally honest here :-)
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