Bodkin / Patterns

Improved Sparkle Dun Pink Lady

Dry Fly · Emerger · Trout · Intermediate · 1 version

Classic Recipe

  • Hook Tiemco TMC 206BL or Daiichi 1310 (light-wire dry/emerger hook), #14-16, #14-16
  • Thread Pale pink or cream 70 denier / 8-0

Materials

  • Tail / trailing shuck Crinkled Zelon (Z-lon), amber or mayfly brown. A short tuft (small pinch)
  • Wing Comparadun/Sparkle Dun deer hair, natural tan/dun. Fine tips (small bunch)
  • Abdomen Pink/pale-pink tying thread, or Superfine dubbing in pale pink (-)
  • Thorax Superfine dry-fly dubbing, pale pink (Pink Lady / Epeorus) (pinch)

How to tie it

  1. Start the pale pink thread and lay a smooth base to the bend.
  2. At about the 65% point, stand a small bunch of natural tan/dun deer hair upright and fan it 180 degrees across the top as a Comparadun wing (no hackle).
  3. Tie in a short tuft of amber/mayfly-brown crinkled Zelon at the bend as a trailing shuck about a shank length long, and carry a few strands up the underside of the wing.
  4. Build a slim pale-pink abdomen (thread, or dub sparsely with pale pink Superfine) from the shuck to the wing.
  5. Dub a sparse pale-pink Superfine thorax around the wing base to lock it upright.
  6. Whip finish behind the eye.

Tying videos

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