Sparkle Dun

[scotfly]

This is the Sparkle Dun, invented by Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies in Montana. It is a variation of the Compara Dun, the only difference being the Sparkle Dun has a Z-Lon tail instead of the usual split hair or hackle tail of the Compara Dun.
As stated I have used Z-Lon for the tail, if you don?t have any use antron or polypropylene yarn or even Seals Fur or similar. Change the colour of the tail/shuck and body to suit whatever mayfly (American classification) you are imitating.
Choice of hair for the wing can make the difference between a difficult fly to tie and an easy fly. The hair should be fairly short, fine and have little flair. I have used Coastal Deer Hair.
Research into this pattern led me to some discussions on the wing, both in the method of tying in and in the final position. Some say it should be tied in with the tips to the rear (left) and some say the  wing should be sloping to the rear (left) or upright or advanced (sloping over the eye)  I have shown it the way I prefer to tie it, if you prefer to tie it a different way, do so.


Instructions assume right-handed tyers.




HOOK ? Light Wire Dry Fly Hook 14 ? 20 (I have used a TMC100 #14)
THREAD ? Grey Roman Moser Power Silk
TAIL/SHUCK ? Ginger Z-Lon
BODY/HEAD ? SLF MC09 (Danica)
WING - Coastal Deer Hair


STEP 1
           Attach the thread and form a base finishing with the thread at approximately the 1/3rd point on the hook.



STEP 2
            Take a small bundle of hair and after cleaning any under fur and aligning the tips, judge for length by holding it in your left hand  on top of the hook so that it is the same length or slightly shorter than the length of the body.




Then, without letting go of the hair slide your finger and thumb, with the hair between, to the tie in point, then take two loose turns of thread round the wing.




Finally pull the loose turns tight, keeping a very tight grip on the hair to keep it on top of the shank and to stop it from flaring too much.



STEP 3
           Take a few extra wraps over the butts to secure them before trimming the waste off at an angle.



STEP 4
            Take the thread in front of the wing, then pull the wing back as shown. Cord your thread by spinning it clockwise and build a bump in front of the wing to hold it up.



When you are satisfied with the wing position wind the thread back down the body, covering the wing butts as you go.



STEP 5
           

Tie in the tail.

Then trim to length.



STEP 6
           

Apply your chosen dubbing to the thread.

Then wrap to form the body.



STEP 7
           Apply a little more dubbing and wrap tight to the back of the wing, then make a couple of figure of eight wraps under the wing to cover the bottom of the hook under the wing, then a wrap or two tight to the front of the wing, before finishing by wrapping the dubbing to the head. Sounds a complicated process, but it is much simpler in practice than it is in words.



STEP 8
            Form a neat head, whipfinish and varnish. If necessary manipulate the wing so that it forms a 180? arc. The lower fibres of the wing acting as outriggers to hold the fly upright.



Viewed from below.



Viewed from above



Viewed from the front (head shot)

[scotfly]

You're welcome Bri, If I get time tomorrow I'll do the other one for you, if not it'll be late next week.
Season opens here on Sunday  :gonefishing;

[Wildfisher]

Season opens here on Sunday

Fishing on the Lord's Day Dennis shame on you  :lol:

[scotfly]

I shall say three Hail Marys before casting a line Fred  :angel;