Extended Bodied Mayflies

[Capt. Matt C 0]

I was at the vise last night and tied up 3 extended bodied BWO's (my first go at the extended body). I used a size 18 hook and the final fly body ended up being a size 14, a little too long but I think I can get away with it.

 

I am curious how some of you tie your extended bodies on tiny may flies. I am familiar with deer hair methods on larger flies.

 

I have a few ideas and wanted some input. I also want to shorten the bodies up so that a size 18 is closer to a size 16 or 18 in body length.

 

Thanks.

[rhinorods69 0]

i use a waxed needle and about 12 lb mono lashed to the hook tye the body any way you want i use dubbing and deer hair tails and a deer hair back then you slide it off the needle when done then lash the two tag ends that you left from the 12 lb mono to the hook and dub the body for hackle i like for catskill style i use you know up right and divided i use a 16 on a 14 and 18 on a 16 and 20 on a 18 because of materials build up i use the smaller hackle measured with a hackle gage the extend body is in shane stalcups book may flies top to bottom any ways good luck and tight lines rhino.................

[bwo3 0]

I use the needle method found on flyanglersonline.com and it is great the only thing that I do different is that I use embroidery yarn instead of dubbing.

[Dale 0]

I also use the needle method. However, I use micro fibbits for the tails and leave the tag ends on the long micro fibbits. When done tying the ext. body, pull it off the needle and use the tag ends of the micro fibbits to ty to the fly abdomen and you're there.

[Capt. Matt C 0]

Thanks Guys,

 

bwo and Dale,

 

Do you have a link to that article? A quick search turned out to be fruitless.

[SullyTM 0]

Capt.Matt...I have tried various ways to tie extended bodies. One way is to cut a piece of wax paper, just wide enough to cover a needle. Tie in you tails and dub over the was paper...Tie off and now slide the extended body off the needle.

 

Another method I use is to dub a needle with super fine dubbing and saturate it with Dave's Flexament. Slide off the body and let it dry.

 

Later...

[ILikeFish 0]

anybody have some photos? I was thinking about tying some extended bodies up. nice timing Capt.

[Capt. Matt C 0]

Good ideas. Sulley I like the sounds of that. I approached the situation with fine wire, color to match. I was concerned with the amount of weight that the wire added to the fly.

 

To combat that I made a few extra wraps of hackle around the parachute stem.

 

I then did my infamous water in a bowl test (which makes my wife look at me funny).

 

I think the design would do well in slow moving water but I would not think that it would float well in faster currents.

 

I tied fibbet tails (that I couldn’t get to splay) and then dubbed up the wire with superfine. the results were good but the body was left approx size 14 and the hook was size 18.

 

The wire also allows me to shape the body any way I want.

[ILikeFish 0]

I just saw this...http://www.fish4flies.com/Dry/Mayfly/Pale_Morning_Dun_Extended_Body_Mayfly

 

they use chenille, which would be easy enough to make size 16 or 18... im just not sure how they got the tail off the back of it.

[Capt. Matt C 0]

Well those tails will give me something to think about Im not sure either.

It’s also interesting that the pattern uses a scud hook. Shorter shank = better proportioned fly.

[nemoblackdog 0]

For small extended bodies (e.g. 16, 18 or even smaller), a single strand of 20# (or thereabouts) mono lashed to the hook is plenty stiff enough to tie in tails and wrap with either a thread or dubbed abdomen. It's stiff enough to do this without putting a needle in there.

 

The advantage of this is that the body isn't left "hollow" after pulling out the needle making it prone to breaking apart, no matter how much glue you soak into it. The mono "substrate" is very flexible, durable, and can be flexed into whatever position you think looks good.

 

Bigger flies? You can use heaver mono or double it up or even furl it into a a twist.

[bwo3 0]

Well for some odd reason everything on flyanglersonline.com has the same adress so I couldn't just copy and paste it but if you go to the fly of the week and then go to previous flies the name of this fly is the Silver Lake EB Mayfly, so just edit find on this page and type in silver lake and there it is.

[Dale 0]

Capt, I don't have any pics of the extended body method. I got the method out of a book I have (can't remember which one and I'm not home to get it) When I get back I can send the info. Or, maybe I can take some pics myself of the method.

[Bob T 0]

Shane Stalcup's book "Mayflies Top to Bottom" gives a couple of examples of tying extended bodies using the needle method,

 

Bob

[SullyTM 0]

Capt. Matt...Another easy extended body is a porcupine quill. Cut one to size...if desired, carefully poke a hole throught the tip for tails...color with prismcolor, pantone, sharpies etc.

 

Later...