Danica Dun
December 8, 2024
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Tying Guide: How to tie Michael Olesen’s Danica Dun Hook: Maruto d21 size 10 Thread: Classic Waxed 12/0 from Semperfli, primrose for the abdomen and
Hook: Maruto d21 size 10
Thread: Classic Waxed 12/0 from Semperfli, primrose for the abdomen and brown for the thorax.
Tails: 3 strands of ostrich herl from small body feathers
Rib: Dirty Bug Yarn, Caddis Brown from Semperfli
Abdomen: Kapok dubbing, Danica color from Semperfli
Thorax: Deer hair, Golden Brown and olive CDC dubbing
Wingpost: Foam tube, 3 mm in diameter, gray
Hackle and Wings: 3 pcs. CDC feathers, gray, and one French Partridge feather.
To create an fly that sits properly on the water’s surface and features some interesting details.
Pay attention to the small details and take your time.
High resolution pictures and easy to understand guide
This fly is more or less based on one of my earlier ideas, which I originally named “A little foam trick” The concept is straightforward: use a small foam tube as a wing post by attaching it to the hook shank approximately 2 mm from the hook eye. The buoyancy of this type of horizontal wing post is incredibly good, so perhaps I should have named the fly “French Partridge with a Life Jacket.” However, for now, it’s “just” a Danica Dun.
The foam also has an excellent ability to hold the hackle and wings in the desired upright position. All the materials used are very soft, which is particularly important for the tails, as overly stiff tails can negatively affect the hooking of fish. The body, or abdomen, in this demo model consists partly of floating kapok dubbing and partly of a water-absorbing type of yarn. The idea is for the abdomen to penetrate the water surface and sit rather deep below during fishing. The buoyancy provided by the foam, cdc, and deer hair in the thorax is so impressive that the abdomen can essentially be made from almost anything. Hare dubbing, which absorbs water, could also be a good choice.
Briefly about “The Feather Mechanic II: Beyond the Pattern”
A look into the feature of the Luna Mayfly in Gordon van der Spuy’s new book. What Michael’s thoughts were going into this, and places on the web where the book can be bought will also be mentioned here.
See more from Gordon van der Spuy on his socials and website.
You can find a copy of “The Feather Mechanic II: Beyond the Pattern” on www.themissionflymag.com
Explore flytying from my vise at different levels of difficulty and learn ways to make them with easy step by step guides and simple illustrations. Explore a variety of flies and a passion for fly tying.
Before We Can Start, Ensure You Have the Following Materials:
Hook: Maruto d21 size 10
Thread: Classic Waxed 12/0 from Semperfli, primrose for the abdomen and brown for the thorax.
Tails: 3 strands of ostrich herl from small body feathers
Rib: Dirty Bug Yarn, Caddis Brown from Semperfli
Abdomen: Kapok dubbing, Danica color from Semperfli
Thorax: Deer hair, Golden Brown and olive CDC dubbing
Wingpost: Foam tube, 3 mm in diameter, gray
Hackle and Wings: 3 pcs. of cdc feathers, gray, and one French Partridge feather.
Attach the Hook and Tails
Place the hook in your vise and then wrap the thread onto the hook shank. Tie down three pieces of ostrich herl as tails near the bend of the hook. I attach all three tails to the hook shank at the same time and then separate them afterwards using my thumbnail, which I place on the bend of the hook and press beneath the tail rod. The tails can now be secured in the desired position with a small drop of UV glue or a few wraps of thread between the individual ostrich herl.
Attach the Rib Material
Wrap the rib material onto the underside of the hook shank. Leave approximately 1 mm of space from the tying in point of the tails to were you tie down the rib material.
Attach the Dubbing
Apply the dubbing to the rear two-thirds of the hook shank. Start with a small amount of dubbing between the tails and the rib materials tying in point.
Wrap the Rib Material
Now, wrap the rib material in open wraps around the body approximately 4–5 times. I prefer to wrap in the opposite direction of the thread’s natural flow, which prevents the ribs from becoming completely submerged in the dubbing and also makes the fly slightly sturdier.
Prepare the Deer Hair
Cut a small bundle of deer hair from a skin. The bundle should be about half the thickness of a pencil. Hold the bundle at the thick end with your thumb and forefinger and gently roll it flatter between your fingers. Then, grap the deer hairs with a paper clamp or a similar tool. Once the hairs are evenly distributed in the clamp, trim the ends with a long pair of scissors.
Change the Thread Color
Switch the thread to a brown color, or color the thread with a marker. Create a loop of thread at the end of the dubbing body. Place the hairs in the loop and twist them with your dubbing twister.
Twist the Deer Hairs
Wrap the deer hairs tightly over the rear half of the thorax area.
Finish the Deer Hairs
Now, cut the deer hairs on the top and underside, and remove individual hairs from the sides.
Twist the CDC Dubbing
Wrap a little cdc dubbing on the front half of the thorax.
Attach the Foam Tube
Tie a 3 mm foam tube (soft foam) down on the thorax using 3 wraps of thread.
Create a Loop of Thread
Next, create a loop of thread at the same point or on the hook shank, between the foam and the hook eye.
Prepare the CDC Feathers
Place three large cdc feathers on top of each other. Hold the feathers with a clamp and trim the feather stems away using long scissors.
Twist the CDC Feathers
Wrap the cdc feather strands into the loop of thread and wrap them 5–6 times over the tying down point of the foam.
Prepare the French Partridge Feather
Prepare a French Partridge feather as shown in the picture, with the barbs stripped off on one side.
Attach the French Partridge Feather
Tie the French Partridge feather in at the tip end, on the underside of the thorax, as shown in the picture.
Twist the French Partridge Feather
Wrap the French Partridge feather over the foam, in front of the CDC strands. Secure the feather stem behind the hook eye, where the fly is also finished.
Trim the Foam Tube and Fly
Cut the foam tube to the desired length and trim the fly slightly on the underside.
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