Fly Tying Inventory
Sparkle Dun
Craig Mathews' elegant emerger pattern featuring a Z-lon trailing shuck. Sits in the film perfectly imitating a mayfly emerging from its nymphal shuck.
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Materials
Dry fly hook, size 14-20
Olive or tan 8/0
Amber or brown Antron yarn (Z-Lon)
Olive or tan superfine dubbing
Deer hair, stacked, 180-degree fan
How to Tie the Sparkle Dun
- 1
Step 1
Secure a dry fly hook. Start thread and wrap to the bend.
- 2
Step 2
Tie in a sparse clump of Antron yarn as a trailing shuck, about one shank-length.
- 3
Step 3
Dub a slim, tapered body from the shuck to about 1/3 from the eye.
- 4
Step 4
Cut and stack a small clump of deer hair. Measure to just past the hook bend.
- 5
Step 5
Tie in the deer hair on top of the shank. Fan it into a 180-degree half-circle wing.
Use your fingers or a gallows tool to spread the hair into a wide fan. The wing should look like a half-circle viewed from head-on.
- 6
Step 6
Trim butts, dub a small amount around the wing base for a smooth head.
- 7
Step 7
Whip finish and apply head cement.
Watch Tying Tutorial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ErApt2YDyI
Credit: Craig Mathews