Carnage Paradrake SBS

[ScottP]

Part 3

apply some dubbing and dub thorax; return thread to position at base of post










start wrapping hackle from the top of the post down










let the hackle hang down; take 2 turns of thread at base of post, trapping hackle







half hitch x2 at hook eye, SHHAN, trim wing post and you're done










Need to work on body taper; wider turns to start, closer together to make it a bit thicker at the base - I think. A few less tail fibers would probably be in order, too; I'll play around a little. Don't know that I'd go much smaller than a #14.


Regards,
Scott

[ScottP]

Stretching the foam, starting the initial wraps as wide as possible with lots of tension and very little overlap, then decreasing tension and increasing overlap created the taper I was looking for. Also switched to the Dai Riki 135 (scud hook) to get a little more weight on the underside.









Took it out for a test drive and it landed upright and floated like a champ, even during a downpour. Didn't catch anything on it (managed a very nice squawfish on a foam skwala) but I'm not sure there are any trout in the part of the stream I was fishing anyway.

Regards,
Scott

[ScottP]

Probably going to miss the green drake hatch but I'll downsize it a bit for flavs; olive grizzly hackle's 2700 miles away so subbed dun grizzly.

Regards,
Scott

[ronnie_mckee]

Beautiful flies.

[Allan]

Looking at the pattern, very nice by-the-way, and I wonder if it floats as well as you describe because of the effect of the parachute hackle, or the body material, or both? It just seems that when the foam is compressed, as it appears was done as it was wound along the shank, it would lose its floatation characteristic.

[ScottP]

Allan,

I'm pretty sure it's the foam that's doing most of the work. Although thinner than regular 2mm craft foam, it really isn't compressed much; the first couple of turns stretch it out a bit, but after that tension is relaxed. The hackle is more for aerodynamics and helps the fly land upright.

Regards,
Scott

[ScottP]

in the smaller sizes (#12 and down) using the 1mm foam they proved to be somewhat fragile (the larger 2mm foam version was much more durable), with the extended body tearing off on a number of occasions. Not going to give up on it yet, but if I can't find a way to strengthen it up without adding time to the tying process, I may just stick to the bigger ones for this pattern

I think for hoppers #12-14, I'll use something like Larva Lace or Hareline tubing.

Drakes were even more fragile than the hoppers. After stumbling upon the heat-shrink tubing idea for hoppers, which probably wouldn't work well on a mayfly except maybe Hex or mutant Labrador monstrosities, I gave the Hareline tubing (standard size) a try for a Fall Drake. A bit crude, kinks to be worked out, but it'll fish; SBS to follow





btw, the dark wing made a huge difference for me on the days I was down in YNP; flat light made seeing anything a challenge, but the black showed up very well.

Regards,
Scott