Tail Fly Skins damsel tails, olive, medium and large (2)
Body Semperfli straggle string and Quick Dub, golden olive plus dark olive (6-8 in of each)
How to tie it
Lay a thread base back to the bend and forward again, then lash the embroidery pin along the shank with the bead seated backwards so it forms a head. Leave about one and a half bead widths between the bead and the bend, which is the ratio that balances the fly in the water.
Snip the mono eyes flush with wire snips so there are no sharp points, slide them into the gap and set them with seventeen or eighteen figure-eight crosses plus a few over-unders.
Brush Zap cement along the thread over the pin and a dab on the mono eyes, then let it set before going on.
Cut a short olive micro strip, preen it down to the hide over about half its length, and tie the hide on top of the shank with the hair facing up. The fly rides hook point up, so hair-up now is hair-down in the water.
Puncture a medium damsel tail dead centre just ahead of the tie-in, work it down to the shank and bind it flat, keeping clear of the hook point.
Put a small dab of superglue on the rabbit hide to bond it to the tail, centred and without stretching the tail.
Tie the large damsel tail in at the same point facing forward, ready to fold back over the body later.
Tie in the two straggle strings and the Quick Dub together, moisten your fingers and twist all three into one rope, then wrap it back toward the bend and forward again to build a slim segmented body.
Pull the tail skin over the top, keeping it centred, and secure it with four or five wraps. Advance behind the bead, twist the remaining material and carry the body forward, figure-eighting around the mono eyes.
Punch a hole in the skin with a bodkin, tie it down behind the eyes so the hook eye stays clear, then whip finish twice. Brush the body out and water-test the balance before tying a batch.