Here is the fly pattern sheet for the Braided Butt Damsel Fly – Variant.
With Coq de Leon feather

With grizzly hackle

With Coq de Leon feather

Variant with foam body



Materials
Hook:
TMC 103 #11, TMC 2487, or standard dry fly hook #10 – 12
Thread:
Blue or tan 6/0
Body:
Braided monofilament (optional -2mm foam)
Thorax:
Blue or tan dubbing
Wing case:
Blue or tan 2mm foam
Hackle:
Grizzly, blue dun, or Coq de Leon
Eyes:
Mono or blue plastic – optional
Directions:
- Attach thread and move to hook point.
- Form a small lump of dubbing material. Dubbing allows body to extend slightly upward.
- Prepare mono – singe one end of braided mono. Cut braided mono to about 1 ½ inches. Fray end which allows it to adhere better to hook shank.
- Attach braided mono to hook.
- Tie in eyes 2 eye lengths behind hook eye – optional.
- Cut blue foam 1/8” wide and taper tie in point. Tie in directly behind eyes. Wind backwards to hook point.
- Select and tie in hackle. Use 2 sizes larger than normal.
- Wind hackle around foam post 5 – 6 times and tie off.
- Dub body to point just behind eye.
- Separate hackle, pull back fibers and fold foam forward over eyes
- Tie off behind eyes
- Cut foam flat, representing damsel head
Notes:
- Original pattern calls for eyes. I’ve stopped adding them. Cut foam making flat head.
- Hareline Dubbin distributes braided monofilament in blue (ADB23), olive (ADB263), red (ADB310), and tan (ADB369). The corresponding order code can be used by your local fly shop for a special order from Hareline Dubbin.
- Substitute foam for body instead of braided monofilament. Use needle to prepare foam body – optional.
To learn more about the real bug, visit my blog – Damsel Flies.
Foam body directions:
Place needle in vise. Coat needle with light coat of wax.

Using black thread, place 4 or 5 thread wraps on bare needle.

Tie in foam using 4 thread wraps. Make wide black mark on foam with thread. Finish with 1 half hitch, which will prevent the thread from unraveling.

Lift up foam and place 1 wrap of thread moving forward.

Tie down foam using 4 thread wraps, making a wide black section. Finish with 1 half hitch.
Continue same process making total of 6 or 7 segments.

Finish with 3 half hitches to secure thread end. Trim thread.
Pull foam from needle.

Place head cement on each thread segment to ensure thread doesn’t unwrap.
Optional – trim thread between segments or tie body on hook with “traveling” thread away from fish’s view.

Finished foam body. Tie foam body onto hook at last threaded segment.

I do not tie, Where can i buy these? Can you make me a 1/2 dozen, price?
Gary
Thanks for leaving a comment about purchasing some RiverKeeper Flies…email sent.
John