I posted some extended-body mayfly patterns on March 7th – and included a Green Drake Dun there. https://donbastianwetflies.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/extended-body-mayfly-duns/
That one had a yellow-dyed deer hair wing. Here are two more extended body BXB (Bastian Extended Body) Green Drake Dun patterns. These two both have a wing of Enrico’s Sea-Fibers, an acrylic fiber that comes in a ton of colors.
BXB Hi-Viz Green Drake Thorax Dun – pattern design originated, tied, and photographed by Don Bastian. Pennsylvania’s “Dean of Fly Fishing,” the late George Harvey, author of Techniques of Fly Tying and Fly Fishing, as his age advanced his eyesight reduced in clarity, he created a Green Drake pattern with yellow calf tail wings, divided a la Wulff style, so he could see it better on the water. That pattern is the inspiration for the yellow post wing on this pattern. The “George Harvey Trico” pattern with it’s pearlescent Krystalflash wing was created for the same reason.
BXB Hi-Viz Green Drake Thorax Dun
Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 #2 Cream for abdomen; #8 Yellow for hook portion of fly
Hook: Tiemco 2488 3x wide, 2x short scud hook, size #12
Body: Cream colored closed cell foam, with olive-brown Pantone marker over the top of abdomen
Tails: Yellow dyed deer hair, 2 fibers
Wing: Yellow Enrico’s Sea Fibers
Hackle: Ginger and olive-dyed grizzly mixed, clipped on bottom between point and shank
Body: Pale gray-green rabbit dubbing
The foam abdomens are made on a pin or tube fly mandrel. This foam is Rainy’s foam. But you can use the foam from craft stores as well, as long as you locate the desired color. The bodies take me less than two minutes to make, and the rest of the pattern tied on the hook in less than three minutes. About four minutes per fly, actually, once the materials are prepped.
The tails on green drake duns are very short, and there are three of them. But I put only two tail fibers on these patterns because it’s easier. And I’m certain the trout won’t notice.
BXB Green Drake Thorax Dun – Ephemera guttalata – pattern designed, tied, and photographed by Don Bastian.
BXB Green Drake Thorax Dun
Thread: Danville Flymaster 6/0 #2 Cream for abdomen; #8 Yellow for hook portion of fly
Hook: Tiemco 2488 3x wide, 2x short scud hook, size #12
Body: Cream colored closed cell foam, with olive-brown Pantone marker over the top of abdomen
Tails: Yellow dyed deer hair, 2 fibers
Wing: Olive Enrico’s Sea Fibers, flecked with black permanent marker
Hackle: Ginger and olive-dyed grizzly, clipped on bottom between point and shank
Body: Pale cream gray-green rabbit dubbing – what I used was Beck’s Creamy Gray rabbit dubbing, but the color name is misleading. It’s a light cream-olive green.
Both these patterns are available for sale on my product page at MyFlies.com. http://www.myflies.com/BXB-Eastern-Green-Drake-Thorax-Duns–P798.aspx
I know that I’m one day going to have to make a video tutorial for making these bodies…apologies for not doing that now, because I have lots of fly orders to complete.
Very nice Don! Are you getting any sleep? You have been putting up some nice flies!
Thanks Brad…! Well, after some time without much action here, I’m on a roll! And I am getting some sleep! Glad you are enjoying my posts!
Don, I think George Harvey would be flattered, and very appreciative of the improvements you have made to his original idea. Your pattern is very, very impressive.
Cheers!
Hi Joel;
Thank you for your observation and comment! No doubt George Harvey would have agreed with the yellow wing post for increased visibility. Glad you like the fly! Thanks again for your comment!