A dye-job if I've ever seen one. In larger sizes, it'd make a passable golden drake; I've only seen that fly once, on a river in western MD where there aren't supposed to be any (don't think it lasted 2 seconds when it hit the water). Smaller, with a toned-down wing, maybe for sulphurs (orange thread underbody makes for a neat effect) or PMDs.

Part 1


hook - Mustad 94840 #12
thread - UTC 140 hopper yellow
tail - hackle fibers yellow
abdomen - stripped hackle quill dyed yellow
thorax/pfd - butts from wing
wing - deer hair dyed yellow

mash barb, tie in thread at point a bit more than one hook eye width back from front




clean and stack a real good-sized clump of deer hair; measure for length (hook shank)




trim butts, 2 soft loops (adjust position if needed to keep it from creeping too far forward); pull firmly, flare it, spin it








wrap thread to point above barb; make a little thread bump




measure a clump of hackle fibers (hook shank); tie in tight against the bump to set the flare and angle