In this week’s “How to Tie” feature, Cheech with Fly Fish Food ties a dry fly that should be in every trout angler’s summer box, the Flavilinea Sparkle Dun.
Learn How to Tie This Fly:
Difficulty: Intermediate
Summer is on the horizon, a welcome sight for those who have dealt with snow and winter conditions the past several months. Warmer weather kickstarts the metabolisms and energy levels of many living organisms, but as anglers we care primarily about those below the surface. Both bug life and trout will begin to show signs of life in spring, from a subtle rise to the inevitable launch out of the water at an adult insect. If you’re lucky, you’ll see consistent surface activity through summer, and the Flavilinea Sparkle Dun is a mayfly imitation every trout angler should be carrying with them to take advantage of happy fish.
Working with deer hair can be intimidating for novice tyers, and for good reason. This natural material can be finicky to work with no matter how long you’ve been tying, especially when measuring proportions and keeping control during application. Ways to mitigate frustration and create accurate proportions include using a hair stacker and becoming familiar with the material through repetition. Once you manage to overcome this heavy obstacle, you’ll find that many streamers and dry flies such as this Flavilinea Sparkle Dun will become a piece of cake.
Tying batches of dry flies might not be your first thought of a night in now that it’s warm out, but preparing for hatches by tying or buying is a great way to burn rainy/cold spring days. Adding variation in size and color will be a great way to cover your bases and have an arsenal of options leading into the prolific hatch season. When it comes to tying and gearing up for summer, enjoy the time and remember to appreciate the process of it all. The Flavilinea Sparkle Dun is one of many patterns to consider for your summer dry box this year and should be kept close to the chest when mayflies begin popping off the surface.
Ingredients:
- Hook: TMC 100 Dry Fly Hook – 14 – 25 Pack
- Thread: Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread – 12/0 Bulk Spool – Olive Dun
- Wing: Varner Short Fine Hair 2″x3″ – Natural
- Body: Fulling Mill Flex-Floss – BWO
- Shuck: Fulling Mill Ultra Dry Yarn – Black
- Thorax: Fulling Mill Tactical Dry Fly Dub – Grey Olive
- Wing: Compara Cow Elk Hair – Natural
Now you know how to tie a Flavilinea Sparkle Dun!
Video courtesy of Fly Fish Food.
