Fly Tying Inventory
Balanced Callibungus
Balanced Callibungus is a Callibaetis nymph from Curtis Fry of Fly Fish Food that hangs horizontally, which is closer to how the naturals behave. It is made to work with the Fulling Mill drop back Bung indicator. The abdomen is tan flash dubbing under an opal tinsel shell, ribbed with wire and coated in UV resin. A darker hare's ear thorax and partridge legs finish the front, and partridge fibers make the tail. Tied here on a size 14 hook.
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Materials
Fulling Mill 5045 Jig Force Barbless hook, size 14 (or Umpqua XC400BL-BN)
14
6/0 UNI-Thread Waxed, camel (or Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread 8/0, brown)
Camel · 6/0
Fulling Mill Tactical Tungsten Drop Bead, copper, 3.0mm (or Insta Jig Tungsten Head, copper, 7/64 inch)
Copper · 3.0mm
Fulling Mill Euro Nymph Flash Dub, Tan UV, for the abdomen
Tan UV
Solarez UV Cure Resin - Thick Hard 1/2 oz, to coat the abdomen shell (or Loon Fluorescing UV Clear Fly Finish)
1/2 oz
Fulling Mill Euro Nymph Flash Dub, Dark Hare's Ear UV
Dark Hare's Ear UV
#1 Hungarian Partridge Skin, natural, a feather from the same skin as the tail
Natural
How to Tie the Balanced Callibungus
- 1
Step 1
Slide the copper drop bead onto the jig hook and mount the hook in the vise.
- 2
Step 2
Start the thread behind the bead, trim the tag, and wrap a smooth base back to the bend.
- 3
Step 3
Pull a small bunch of fibers from a partridge feather and tie them in at the bend for the tail. Bind the butts down and trim any excess.
- 4
Step 4
Tie in the March Brown wire at the base of the tail and leave it hanging behind the hook.
- 5
Step 5
Turn the hook over in the vise so the point faces up. Tie in the opal Mirage Tinsel at the back of the shank and park it behind the hook.
- 6
Step 6
Form a dubbing loop at the back of the shank and advance the thread. Spread Tan UV Flash Dub in the loop and spin it into a rope.
- 7
Step 7
Wrap the rope forward for the abdomen, stopping short of the bead to leave room for the thorax. Tie it off and trim.
- 8
Step 8
Brush the abdomen out and stroke the fibers down off the top of the body.
- 9
Step 9
Pull the tinsel forward over the top of the abdomen for the shell. Tie it off and trim.
- 10
Step 10
Wrap the wire forward over the shell in open turns. Tie it off and remove the tag end.
- 11
Step 11
Coat the shell with UV resin and cure it with a UV light.
- 12
Step 12
Dub the Dark Hare's Ear UV Flash Dub over the front of the fly for the thorax and brush it out lightly.
- 13
Step 13
Notch the tip of a partridge feather to leave a V. Lay the V over the thorax with the stem pointing forward past the bead and the fibers along the sides, and tie it down.
Draw the stem forward to shorten the legs, then cut the stem once the length looks right.
- 14
Step 14
Whip finish behind the bead and trim the thread.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYDlYN5Lavc
Credit: Curtis Fry / Fly Fish Food