Here is the fly pattern sheet for the Braided Butt Damsel Fly – Variant.

With Coq de Leon feather

Braided Butt Damsel | www.johnkreft.com

With grizzly hackle

Braided Butt Damsel | www.johnkreft.com

With Coq de Leon feather

Braided Butt Damsel - Tan | www.johnkreft.com

Variant with foam body

Foam Damsel | www.johnkreft.com
Damsel Fly | www.johnkreft.com
Damsel Fly and Imitation | www.johnkreft.com

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:

  1. Attach thread and move to hook point.
  2. Form a small lump of dubbing material. Dubbing allows body to extend slightly upward.
  3. 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.
  4. Attach braided mono to hook.
  5. Tie in eyes 2 eye lengths behind hook eye – optional.
  6. Cut blue foam 1/8” wide and taper tie in point. Tie in directly behind eyes. Wind backwards to hook point.
  7. Select and tie in hackle. Use 2 sizes larger than normal.
  8. Wind hackle around foam post 5 – 6 times and tie off.
  9. Dub body to point just behind eye.
  10. Separate hackle, pull back fibers and fold foam forward over eyes
  11. Tie off behind eyes
  12. 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.

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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.

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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.

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

Finish with 3 half hitches to secure thread end. Trim thread.

Pull foam from needle.

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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.

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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

Damsel foam | www.johnkreft.com

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