#10 Slim's Damsel Fly Nymph

(Tied By Slim Mitchell)

Slim Mitchell

He was the President of the Dallas Fly Fishers and charter member of the the Roadkill Round Table group. He is the originator of the BE Hopper and has tied at the Sowbug Roundup, Southern Council Conclave, National Conclave, Greatoutdoors Festival (Memphis), Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center and Numerous other shows, demonstrations and other functions during the last 8 years. Slim has fished for bluegill and bass on flies for more than 40 years and trout on the North Fork and White Rivers since 1962. He has received the Federation of Fly Fishers Southern Council 2002 Fly Tyer of the Year Award.

SLIM'S DAMSEL FLY NYMPH TYING INSTRUCTIONS

Hook: Mustad 9672 #10. or simular hook
Thread: Balck 6/0
Eyes: Black Medium Bead Chain
Underbody: .010-.015 Lead
Tail: Olive Rabbit Fur
Collar: Olive Rabbit Fur
Body: Olive Rabbit Fur

Note:Slim has tied this pattern from a #4 thru a #16.

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Step 1: Lay a foundation of thread right behind the eye of the hook with the length being about 1/3 of the hook shank.

Step 2: Place a bead chain eye about one bead chain eye from the right behind the eye of the hook.

Step 3: Take 5 wraps of thread toward the front around the middle of the bead chain eye.

Step 4: Take 5 wraps of thread toward the back around the middle of the bead chain eye

Step 5: Stop the thread right in front of the eyes.

Step 6: We are going to start eh process on doing a number of figure 8 wraps. Move the thread acoss the middle of eyes toward the back.

Step 7: Move the thread under the eye.

Step 8: Move the thread over the shank of the hook towards the back.

Step 9: Move the thread under the eye. And repeat Step 6 though 9 about 6 times.

Step 10: After you have compleated 6 figure 8's, make a htread base from right behind the eyes to about the end og the barb of the hook.

Step 11: Start your lead wire from the tip of the barb of the hook forward.

Step 12: Stop your lead about a turn or two from the back of the eyes.

Step 13: With your finger nails or scissors trim the lead wire.

Step 14: Your fly should look like the picture on the far right.

Step 15: Wrap the thread back and forth over the lead wire.

Step 16: Ending up with the thread on the shank even with the barb of the hook.

Step 17: From the center of the back of the rabbit skin, select a clump of rabbit fur.

Step 18: Measure about shank length of rabbit fur. Do not cut any of the excess rabbit off.

Step 19: Tie in the tail at the point where you stopped with the thread.

Step 20: Secure the rest of the rabbit fur on to the shank of the hook and move the thread back to the beginning of the tail.

Step 21: From the side of the rabbit skin, cut a tiny piece of fur and pull it a part to make your dubbing.

Step 22: Dub on to the thread the rabbit fur.

Step 23: Rap the dubbed thread forwar.

Step 24:Stopping about 1/16 of an inch from the back of the bead eyes.

Step 25: With your spinning loop tool form a loop. Make sure that you take several turns of the thread to sure the loop.

Step 26: From the back center of the rabbit skin, remove a small row of fur.

Step 27: Place the row of fur in the loop, spreading out the fur.

Step 28:The end of the rabbit fur should be about from the back of the beaded eyes to the begining of the tail. Cut the excess fur on the beaded eye side of the loop.

Step 29: Spin the loop with the spinning loop tool into a dubbing rope.

Step 30: Rap the dubbing rope around the shank of the hook right behind the beaded eyes.

Step 31: As you are rapping the dubbing rope, gently stroke the rabbit hair towards the the rear of the hook.

Step 32: Secure the dubbing rope with several wraps of thread and cut off the excess thread on the dubbing rope.

Step 33: Repeat Steps 21 and 22.

Step 34: With the dubbed thread do one figure 8 and dubbing in front of the beaded eye.

Step 35: Whip finish.

Step 36: Your fly should be simular to the one on the far right picture.