May Fly O' the Month - Damsel Fly

[RickB]

May Fly O' the Month: Damsel Fly Any size, any damsel color !! Post your pictures in this thread and they also must be uploaded in this months Fly O' the Month Gallery to qualify for the prize. Click this link to see the new monthly prizes and detials available for this contest. Happy tying, lets see those delicious Damsels!

RickB

[ggp]

This is my favorite little damsel tied in different shades of olive on a dry fly hook....I like to fish it on a floating line with a long leader (12 to 15 feet) With a little chop on the water it will sink just under the surface an inch or two and it is deadly.

[11th Warrior]

NICE looking fly ggp! How do you get the tail to stick out like that? I've seen it on dragonflys as well but can't figure out how to do it.

I saw another damsel similar to yours but they used a brownish surgical tubing for the wingcase and partridge softhackle for legs. it looked deadly as well.

[James Lake Junkie]

You can bind a pin or needle to extend either past the bend of the hook or the eye. Kind of like in the trilobal leech Tri-Lobal-Leech.jpg where it is done to ensure a more horizontal movement in the water.

I am going to attempt a submission this month, bearing in mind I am wet-behind the ears as far as tying goes.

[ggp]

NICE looking fly ggp! How do you get the tail to stick out like that? I've seen it on dragonflys as well but can't figure out how to do it.

I saw another damsel similar to yours but they used a brownish surgical tubing for the wingcase and partridge softhackle for legs. it looked deadly as well.

11th Warrior.....I thought the best way to answer your question was to do a tutorial, so that is what I did in the Fly Tying Forum....Hope that helps http://www.flyfishbc.com/forums/thre...ed-body-Damsel

[macrib46]

This is one I've been fiddeling around with. I think it will be interesting to see the results when I get it in the water. Hopefully with the articulated body it will swim more like the real thing.

dave

[johnk]

This is one I've been fiddeling around with. I think it will be interesting to see the results when I get it in the water. Hopefully with the articulated body it will swim more like the real thing.

dave

The "articulating phase" is one we must eventually go through in our natural progression as fly tyers and I went through that years ago. Articulated damsels, leeches, etc. all work but, unfortunately, for the extra work that goes into building articulating flies, the compensation is minimal. If a flyfisher feels more confident fishing articulating patterns then that is what they should, indeed, fish because confidence in a pattern is half the battle to making a pattern successful.


Pulsating Shramsel

I've posted this before but here it is again anyways.
For years I was not happy with any damsel patterns I'd fished or seen and I was looking for a pattern that would provide maximum movement with minimal effort. The answer obviously was either marabou or rabbit and I thought the best way to achieve this was to give the impression of a tail and abdomen pulsating in unison. Last spring the Pulsating Shramsel was born and the dividends paid the first trip out. Subsequently last winter, a friend, who is the BC Director of Project Healing Waters asked me to develop a fly to be put in flyshops as a fundraiser for the charity and this pattern seemed like the natural choice as it had been developed, tried and tested already. The one pictured here is the original but I also tie it with an orange tungsten HotBead. Hope you like.....



Tip For Stripping Damsel Patterns

If righthanded, before your retrieve wet your righthand fingers. Stripping line through pinched thumb and forefinger will create friction depending on how much pinching pressure you apply and will make the tip of the rod dance ultimately making the fly dance. Works great on aggressive fish.

[Lucky]

Just recently I picked up some midge lace and I have been trying it in some damsel patterns.

[macrib46]

Nice looking nymph you've got there Lucky. People say the yellow seems to add that little something extra that the fish key in on.

dave

[rmpearson12]

Here is one I tied up a while ago.



I will tie up my go to damsel this weekend
and post it.

Ross