Balloon Emerger
(The materials are listed in the order they are tied in. Instructions assume righthanded tier.)
Tying instructions:
- Attach thread behind the eye and run touching turns towards bend, and then back again to 2/5behind the eye.
- Using pinch&loop tie in one small CDC feather, tip extending to end of hook. Trim butt.
- Apply small amount of dubbing and form a round thorax, taking care to leave a small amount of free space behind the eye.
- Prepare a hackle, fiber length just short of shank length, as follows:
- Sneak in with the tip of your scissors and cut the stem quarter of an inch from the tip
- You should now have a hackle which ends in a 'V'
- Leaving the top 4-5 fibers (on each side), stroke down the remaining fibers - Shiny side up, straddle the hook with the 'V', the fibers angling some 30 degrees down and towards the bend of the hook.
- Holding the 'V' in place with your left index finger and thumb, tie them down with a few tight turns of thread. Trim remainder of hackle. You should now have 4-5 fibers on either side of the shank, which will act as outriggers, stabilizing the fly.
- Make a neat head, ending with a three turn whip finish. Dab of varnish and the fly is complete.