February 2012 MFTC

[IslandNewb]

Hey All. I may not be around for the rest of the week so here it is.. Cheers.

The Dam Darner.

One of the main reasons dragonflies are such an important trout food source is because of their lengthy nymphal stage as compared to almost all other aquatic insects. Nymphs of some families of dragonflies are 4 years old before emerging into the adult stage.

The various families of dragonflies are identified or categorized by their nymphal life styles. Generally speaking there are three types; the Crawlers, the Sprawlers and the Burrowers. I am going to tie a Darner with is part of the “Crawlers” category. The Darner nymphs are mostly long and slender and because of their feeding styles are more exposed to other predators like trout.

Materials

Hook: Mustad streamer sizes 6 - 12
Thread: 6/0 Black Uni Thread
Head: 5/32 Black Glass / Small Copper Wire / Crazy Glue
Tail: Pheasant Tail / Migde Flash or Crystal Flash
Body: Green Yarn / Light Green Actetate Floss / Dark Olive Actetate Floss / Acetone
Rib: Small Green Copper Wire
Thorax: Dark Olive Turkey Feather / Peacock Hurl
Hackle/Legs: Partridge Body Feather / Migde Flash or Crystal Flash



I started with a size 6 mustad streamer hook but it could be anywhere from #6 to #12. Copper wire near the eye wrapped and pushed tight, the 6/0 black uni thread over and whip finish, then a drop of crazy glue and the 5/32 black glass bead (could be metal). This step is purely to center the bead because I hate it when the beads go off-center. I could just be being anal…



Start the thread again behind the bead and lay down a base of thread to just behind the hook point and add bump of thread to splay the tail feathers (again the bump could just be me being anal). Tie in about 6-8 pheasant tail fibres to just beyond the length of the hook then tie in 3-4 pieces of midge flash over top. Both those quantities are to taste. The midge flash is supposed to be the jet of water for propulsion but it just might be because it looks pretty.



Tie in the green copper wire (aprox 4”), the dark olive acetate floss (aprox 6”), the light green actetate floss (aprox 12”) and finally the green wool (aprox 12”) down the length of the hook and stop about 2/3 of the length of the hook shank. Then bring your thread forward to that point. The lengths of all the materials can vary pending the results you want. You kind of have to muck around with it.



Now the guess work part. Wrap the green wool forward back and forward loosely forming the shape of the body with the larger round slighty to the back. Over that wrap the light green acetate floss then rib it with the dark olive acetate floss then the green wire. Then whip finish and clip. Those three greens will combine so it is important that the initial wool be not to dark or the body will look black (unless you want it black...). If you don’t use something under the acetate floss its almost impossible to shape later.





Submerse the fly in the acetone hook eye (beadhead) down. Remove and put in vice to dry. When the fly starts to harden, pinch the body flatter. Then let it set until its hard and dry. I know pinching it with your fingers is not really healthy so you can use pliers if you want but make sure they are flat or you will leave grooves or you could just get your mother in-law to do it… tie lots..





Start your thread again at the bead and bring back to the end of the body. Tie in your dark olive turkey. Then your peacock. Wrap the peacock forward. Tie in a v-section of the partridge body feather. Then a couple of strands of midge flash.





Then fold the turkey feather over and tie in and whip finish and head cement. There are a lot of variations here as well. You can hackle and trim. Use goose quills, etc, etc.. Really its up to you.

There are literally millions of dragonfly nymph pattern variations. This is one of mine. I hope you like.

As Scott said, please feel fee to add comments, preferences, and your photos of your own versions of the dragon. There is a foam dragon pattern out there that I would love to have the recipe for…

Take care,

Terry.

[BCBound]

Great work Terry!

Thanks for putting this together for us in such a short time. I have not worked with acetate floss before, but have been thinking of doing it with chironomids and nymphs like you've done here. Now I have a good excuse to try it out

Cheers.

[herkileez]

Very nice fly...Thanks for posting it.
I'm wondering if using UV knot-sense, and UV light, instead of acetone would work out as well.

[IslandNewb]

Thank you. Much appreciated. I was definitely aprehensive.

I'm not familiar with the UV knot-sense but from what I've read I kind of doubt it. The acetone melts the acetate floss and it seems the knot-sense would build it up... but maybe.. I am curious now.. I have used my wife's nail polish remover before since its pretty much acetone but unfortuately the one she uses had some other things in it (didnt really look at the label prior to dunking a half dozen flies) and the flies came out with a sort of white film and looked like...well you know. So nail polish remover with alo-vera is not recommended...

[herkileez]

Thank you. Much appreciated. I was definitely aprehensive.

I'm not familiar with the UV knot-sense but from what I've read I kind of doubt it. The acetone melts the acetate floss and it seems the knot-sense would build it up... but maybe.. I am curious now.. I have used my wife's nail polish remover before since its pretty much acetone but unfortuately the one she uses had some other things in it (didnt really look at the label prior to dunking a half dozen flies) and the flies came out with a sort of white film and looked like...well you know. So nail polish remover with alo-vera is not recommended...

UV Knot-sense is used to coat knots, splices, fly heads, etc. It can be shaped somewhat, then zapped w/ a UV light for a few seconds, and it dries clear, flexible and tough. I'll do a little test on a fly, and get back with the results when I get a chance.

[BCBound]

I find that the UV stuff tends to dry a bit tachy. Does the acetate do that as well?

[IslandNewb]

Yes please let me know how the knot-sense works out..

and,

No, the acetate drys fibreglass hard and on smaller flies (chroni's) holds its translucency. I should have mentioned that if you dont like the color you end up with for the dragon, and want to change it, you can apply the acetate floss on top in strips and paint over it with the acetone. Like you'd apply fibre grass sheets. But you can only go darker, not lighter. And, you can add segments to the body by pulling a piece of wire down and across the body while still semi soft. It mucks up the sheen a bit so its a bit of a trade off.

[herkileez]

Yes please let me know how the knot-sense works out.

I tried knot sense on an already tied stonefly, taking pics before and after....it seemed to work fine. Of course, would have been easier coating it before putting the wings on, but got the idea anyway.

I tried to upload my photos, but got a message saying my quota is too full...can anyone tell me how to clear my old uploads, so I can post the new pics?

[micman]

Wow that is amazing, as I progress in my tying I will definitely try this one.

Mickey

[IslandNewb]

Thanks Bud. Its actually a pretty easy tie. I am no expert by any means so the techniques are pretty basic. The only thing I found was that I was flattening the body to quickly after dipping and was ruining the outside edges of the fly. PM or post if you need a hand. Cheers.