McPhail's Dynamite Harry

McPhail's Dynamite Harry

Dry Fly
Intermediate
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Grayling
Hook: 12-16

Davie McPhail's durable dry fly pattern designed for extended fishing sessions. Uses Tiemco Aero Dry Wing material for both the wing post and body, Coq de Leon tailing, squirrel dubbing thorax, and grizzle cock saddle hackle on a wide-gape Czech Nymph/Emerger hook. Produces excellent hook-up rates and survives multiple fish.

🪶 Ready to tie this?

This pattern needs 7 materials. Sign up free to check which ones you already own.

Check My Materials — Free

Materials

Hook

Fulling Mill Czech Nymph/Emerger or similar wide-gape hook, sizes 14-18

Thread

Uni 8/0, Olive Dun or Yellow (color to match variant)

Tail

Coq de Leon fibers, Light or Medium Pardo

Body

Tiemco Aero Dry Wing, Golden Olive (or color to match variant)

Wing/Post

Tiemco Aero Dry Wing, Golden Olive (same material as body)

Thorax

Squirrel dubbing, dyed yellow/olive or natural

Hackle

Grizzle cock saddle hackle, dyed golden straw or natural

How to Tie the McPhail's Dynamite Harry

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Secure a wide-gape dry fly hook in the vise. Start the thread and wind a base to the bend.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Select a small clump of Coq de Leon fibers and tie in at the bend as the tail, about body length.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Dub or wrap thread forward to form a slightly tapered body, stopping about one-third back from the eye.

    A sparse dressing floats better and looks more lifelike.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Tie in a small tuft of poly yarn or McFlylon upright on top of the shank to form the wing post.

  5. 5

    Step 5

    Prepare and tie in a high-quality dry fly hackle at the base of the post, with the shiny side facing you.

  6. 6

    Step 6

    Palmer the hackle around the post in parachute style for 4-5 turns. Tie off and trim excess.

  7. 7

    Step 7

    Apply a bit more dubbing if needed around the tie-in points to form a neat thorax.

  8. 8

    Step 8

    Build a small head, whip finish, and add a drop of head cement. Trim wing post to desired length.

Watch Tying Tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVZiCTzhQaI

Credit: Davie McPhail

More patterns like this

Other patterns using these materials

Track Your Fly Tying Materials

See which patterns you can tie with materials you already own. Build your inventory, discover new patterns, and never buy duplicates.

Get Started — It's Free