Daddy Long Legs X3

[scotfly]

This is the Daddy Long Legs I normally use on Stillwaters and also a variation that is often more effective than the original, and a variation that has been successful for me on rivers. Some tyers prefer to tie the legs in like the natural sitting at rest, I prefer the way shown below. I?ve yet to see a Daddy Long Legs sitting on the water as it would sit on land, but if it rocks your boat to tie them the other way, do it.

Instructions assume right-handed tyers

HOOK ? Kamasan B800 #10
THREAD ? Brown 6/0
RIB ? Gold or Copper wire
BODY ? Straw Coloured Raffia
LEGS - 8 Knotted Pheasant Tail
WINGS ? Red Game Cock Hackles
HACKLE ? Red Game

For the wings you can use a variety of hackles such as Buff, Blue Dun or Cree, the fish don?t mind which one you use. The same for the hackle.

STEP 1
Mount the hook in the vice, attach the thread and wrap to the rear of the hook, catching in the wire rib as you go.



STEP 2
Take a piece of raffia approximately 5mm wide, fold it in half and tie in taking the thread to the shoulder. Moisten the Raffia before you tie it in.





STEP 3
Wrap it forward and tie off, followed by the rib




STEP 4
Take 8 knotted Pheasant Tail legs and offer them up to the hook. You can tie them in 4 on each side, one side at a time, or the way I do it is to take all 8 legs in my right hand and place them under the shank with 4 legs each side of the hook.



Then transfer the grip to my left hand and tie in.




STEP 5
Take two cock hackles, place them back to back, then holding them in your right hand offer them up to judge for length.



Then transfer the grip to your left hand and strip away the unwanted fibres.



Then tie in.




STEP 6
Use one or two figure of eight wraps to place the wings in a delta position.





STEP 7
Tie in the hackle



STEP 8
Wrap the hackle towards the eye and tie off.



STEP 9
Form a neat head, whipfinish and varnish for the completed fly.





Variation 1

HOOK ? Kamasan B800 #10
THREAD? Fluorescent Chartreuse Floss and Brown 6/0
BODY ? Fluorescent Chartreuse Floss
LEGS  - 8 Knotted  Pheasant Tail
WINGS? Grizzle Cock Hackles
HACKLE ? Red Game Cock


STEP 1
Using the floss as thread, mount the hook, attach the floss and wrap down the body, then back up to the shoulder.



Then throw on a couple of half hitches and cut off.



STEP 2
Attach the Brown thread and over-wrap the end of the floss body making sure you cover the half hitches you made in the floss.




STEP 3
Tie in the legs and wings as shown in STEPS 4, 5 and 6 above.





STEP 7
Tie in and wrap the hackle and finish the fly as shown in STEPS 7, 8 and 9 above for the completed fly.







Variation 2

HOOK ? Kamasan B830 #10
THREAD ? Brown 6/0
BODY ? 4 or 5 Peacock Herls
RIB ? Copper Wire
LEGS ? Knotted Pheasant Tail
HACKLE ? Red Game Cock.


STEP 1
Attach the thread and wrap to the hook bend catching in the rib as you go.



STEP 2
Tie in the Peacock Herl and wrap the thread to the shoulder. Then varnish the body.



STEP 3
Grip the Herls and the wire and twist to form a rope.



Then wrap forward and tie off to form the body. Separate the Herl and wire and trim the waste Herl before twisting the wire off.



STEP 4
Tie in the legs as shown in STEP 4 above.



STEP 5
Tie in and wrap the hackle.



STEP 6
Form a neat head, whipfinish and varnish for the completed fly.



All three together.




Some anglers trim the bottom of the hackle flush with the body on Daddies. I don?t, I think the weight of the hook is enough to push the bottom hackles into the surface film and I like to think the sunken hackles add an extra buzz to the fly

Fish anytime the naturals are about, especially in a big wind when the naturals are often blown onto the water.

[scotfly]

Great stuff again Dennis, but you really need to learn Richy's method
http://www.wildfisher.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4931.0

Richy's are very well tied and look great and I'm sure they will pull well, but not for me.

What do you mean I'll have to learn   2 I'll have you know I know it all  :bsflag   ( first one who puts know it all in a reply gets a slap  :lol: :lol:)

[Richy]

Smurf yer a big sook and yes I will tie you some up  :lol: :lol: :lol:

The reason I tie my Daddies natural position is that I tend to use them on the dap more often than static dry and found that Dennis's methods of tyings use a longer and heavier hook that tends to sink on the draw.
The deerhair detatched body lets the hook sink but keeps the body afloat with minimal floatant. I suppose its down to what you are confident with but the troots seem to like em  as does Ardbeg  :lol: :lol:


All the best

Richy

[haresear]

The detached body wins for me, but most Daddies seem to work.
Richy, do you tie them on a needle? That's the method I learned.

Alex

[scotfly]

I suppose its down to what you are confident with

Sums it up perfectly. 

[Richy]

Alex,

I tie directly to the hook and wind the thread up the deer hair to the desired length then back down again.

Try it, its quite easy really and saves you loads of time.

All the best

Richy

[haresear]

Thanks Richy, I'll try that method.

First, I've got to start on some March Brown type things, then Yellow May Duns, then...

Alex

[Hans]

Think with daddies it's the legs that do the trick, as they are typical for this fly, the length of the body may increase the faith you have in the fly.
I have tried both variations, but find no difference between them. Tying the extended body is more fun to do though...
Hans.