Daddy Long Legs

Daddy long Legs

This is my Daddy Long Legs ( Cranefly ) pattern using similar technique like the Extended Abdomen Reel Wings Mayfly.... The abdomen is 3M Micropore surgical tape wind on dear hair.

Coated with flexament, the abdomen give a very good floatation as air are trapped inside... the nylon brush fibers as legs also sit firmly on water film...

Materials:

Abdomen - 3M Micropore Surgical tape wind on Dear Hair/Elk Hair

Legs - Brush fibers

Antenna - Dear Hair/Elk hair

Wings - Dry Fly Rooster neck heckle

Thorax - 2mm thk foam

Hook - TMC 2488 size 10

Color marker and Dubbing

Flexament

Step by step tying instructions:

Prepare the hook, tie in 6 pcs of nylon brush fiber

Tie in the Dear Hair or Elk Hair

Cut a surgical tape about 3mm wide, wind on the Dear hair

After complete winding the tape, tie down and color the abdomen with desire color

Split the 6 nylon legs, tie in a pair of antenna

Tie in 2mm thks foam

Use a small needle bring in the heckle wings

Tie down the heckle wings

Apply some dubbing to split the legs

Fold the foam over and tie down as Thorax

Trim the foam and cut the shape of the head

Color the Thorax and head. Whip finish

Color the legs and bend the legs with tweezers

Coat the abdomen and thorax with flexament

Daddy is ready to fly....

Another daddy dress in different color

Bottom View

The Actual Daddy Long Legs ( Cranefly )

Extended Abdomen Reel Wings Mayfly

(Extended Abdomen) Reel Wings Mayfly

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a pattern inspired by Agostino Roncallo's Ethafoam Extended Body Mayflies, where he use a very thin ethafoam to create his mayflies abdomen straight from the hook, instead having the body pre-tied on a metal rod or needle... What a creative idea.

I replace the Ethafoam with 3M Micropore Surgical tape and have it coated with flexament for extra durability.

For Agostino's creative Ethafoam Extended Body Mayflies, Pls see:

http://www.tomsutcliffe.co.za/fly-tying/257-ethafoam-extended-body-mayfly-patterns

The Materials:

Thorax - Pheasant tail or Peacock herl fibers

Split tails - Brush fibers

Abdomen - Surgical tape and Dear / Elk hair

Legs - Dry fly heckle

Wings - Reel Wings by Joseph Ludkin

Hook - TMC 111 size 14, 12 and 10

Color marker and thread

Step by step tying instructions:

Prepare the Dry fly hook and tie in the brush fibers as tail

Fold over the fiber, tie down and trim to the desired abdomen length

Tie in a small tuft of dear hair

Cut a slide of Micropore Surgical tape about 3-4mm wide and wind on the hook, tie down the edge.

Wind the tape around the dear hair until the tip of the abdomen

Wind it back and finish at the hook, trim finish and tie down

Tie in the about 6-8 Pheasant tail fiber and dry fly heckle

Wind in the heckle and trim finish

Trim the top fiber and fold over the Pheasant tail fiber, tie down

Apply a small drop of control gel super glue

Put the wing in position and fold over the Pheasant tail fiber, tie down

Fold the fiber to the front again, tie down and trim.. whip finish

Color the abdomen and wings with desire color marker

Apply some flexament to the abdomen for extra durability

The Extended Abdomen Reel Wings Mayfly is complete.

Side View

Bottom View

Reel Wings Yellow Drake

Reel Wings Yellow Drakes

RW Yellow Drake

RW Yellow Drake ( with Tensel Flash )

Joseph Ludkin of Reel Wings UK designed these wonderful synthetic wings material which is so close to real insect's wings.... they are very thin, light and soft... yet very tough.

For more info about the Reel Wings, or to purchase the wings, you may visit : 

http://www.reelwings.co.uk/

Materials:

Wings - Reel Wings ( Up-wing size M )

Hook - TMC 100 dry fly size 14

Tails - Brush fibers

Abdomen - Yellow Turkey Wing fibers, tensel flash

Legs - Yellow Turkey Wing fibers

Thread - Black 8/0

Thorax - Wapsi Life cycle nymph dubbing - Dark Brown

Step by step tying instructions:

Prepare your size 14 dry fly hook

Tie in the Tensel flash and a pair of brush fiber as tail

Tie in 6 pcs of Yellow Turkey Wing's fiber... keep 2 fiber longer as front legs

 Tie in the Reel Wings' up-wing size M

Spin the Turkey Wing's fiber, trim and tie down

Spin the Tensel fiber in opposite direction, trim and tie down

Carefully split the legs and make sure the longer pair as the front legs

Apply dubbing to separate the leg and also as thorax

Whip finish and trim the thread

The RW Yellow Drake is complete

 

View from below

Picture of a Yellow Drake or Hexagenia