Damsel Flymph
Hook - Daiichi Model 1170/Size 12
Thread - Pearsall's Gossamer Silk (Olive/16) - well waxed (Thanks for the silk Martin)
Hackle - Hen Neck (Grizzly Dyed Olive)
Thorax - Five Strands of Peacock Herl (Natural)
Tail/Abdomen - Five Strands of Pheasant Tail Fibers (Dyed Kelly Green)
Step-By-Step Tutorial / Detailed Tying Instructions (via photos)
Gather materials (Pearsall's Silk, Hen Neck, Pheasant Tail, Peacock Herl and hook):
Select Feather:
Prepare Feather for tying, by stripping off the base fluffy fibers and the fibers along the right hand side (good side is facing you):
Mount hook in the vice, wax several inches of your tying thread silk and make three (3) secure wraps, to mount the thread. Leave the tag end on the thread. This will be bound down in subsequent wraps, strengthening the construction of the fly. The initial three thread wraps will form the area for the finished head. Do not wrap over this area, until the very end.
Tye in the prepared hackle feather with three (3) secure wraps of thread. The thread wraps should be formed towards the bend of the hook. They should not overlap the initial wraps, since this will bulk up the head.
Tye in five strands of peacock herl, with the butt ends facing out over the eye of the hook. I like to leave the tips a bit long, to serve as a handle to control them while tying them down. Grasp the tag end of the silk, together with the hackle stem and peacock herl tips. BInd them all down with secure wraps of your waxed thread. Wrap to the midpoint of the hook shank, and then clip off the ends. The bulk of the herl/tag/stem, helps to form the taper of the thorax (slightly larger diameter than the abdomen of the fly).
Wrap the tying thread back to the bend of the hook. The thread should be even with the hook barb. (sorry for the blurry photo - the auto focus registered on the vice instead of the hook shank).
This is a good point to rewax the tying thread. I like to strip off six to eight inches of thread, wax it a couple times, retighten the thread onto the spool and then go on to the next step. The wax helps lock everything in place during the forward wraps.
Tye in five (5) pheasant tail fibers with a single thread wrap. Make sure that their tips are evened before tying them in.
Twist the pheasant tail fibers around the tying thread, and then wind forward to the middle of the fly. This manuver is much easier with a rotary vice (avoids changing hands repeatedly - maintains excellent tension as the herl body is being formed).
Secure the butt ends of the pheasant tail fibers with a single wrap of thread. Clip off the excess.
Grasp the butt ends of the peacock herl fibers, and wrap them back towards the waiting thread. Secure with a single wrap of thread and clip off the excess. Your tying thread will still be at the center of the hook shank.
Grasp the tip of the hackle feather in you hackle pliers and make two wraps at the head of the fly, then make three open spiral wraps over the thorax of the fly. Secure the feather with the one wrap of tying thead, then wind the thread forward to the eye of the hook, in three or four open spiral wraps. Form a three turn whip finish and the clip off the excess. Done.
A few pinches on each side of the fly, will set the fibers towards the back of the fly.
