|
I discovered Dalhberg Divers fishing for Largemouth Bass several years ago. The version presented here is a very simple one, but feel free to add as much as you'd like to the tail. I also tie it with the same tail as the Razzle Dazzle, and many other variations, but I thought this one would be better for brevity of instructions.
Fish this fly with sharp strips so it dives under the surace. It will pop and go under then surface again, like a distressed baitfish. Remember to hang on, the fish seem to get mad at this one...
Stuff you'll need...
- Hook: Mustad 34007 or equivalent
- Wing: Yellow Bucktail, Yellow Saddle Hackle, Gold Mylar
- Head: Long Natural Deer Hair
- Eyes: Stick-On Prismatic Eyes
Tie it up...
- Place the hook in the vise and attach the tying thread.
- Tie in the Bucktail, making sure it goes all the way around the shank. Leave about 1/2 the shank open behind the eye.
- Tie in 6 Saddles, and top with the Gold Mylar.
- Throw in a few half-hitches to lock it down. You should still have about half the shank free to work with, so get out your deer hair.
- It's a little hard to explain how to spin deer hair, so cut a clump about the thickness of a #2 pencil and I'll try.
- Lay the deer hair on the shank so the tips come just about to the start of the bend. Make one loose wrap of the thread and slowly let go of the deer hair with your fingers, allowing it to slide around the shank.
- Make another loose wrap but this time, when you come to the point of your wrap when the bobbin is heading toward the ceiling, start putting tension on the thread. This will cause the hair to flair out and look like a huge dust bunny.
- Make a few more TIGHT wraps, moving the bobbin back and forth so you don't trap any hairs, and move it out of the clump toward the eye of the hook.
- Push the flaired hair back toward the bend as far as it will go, using pressure and a slight back and forth twisting motion. Throw in a few half-hitches to lock it down.
- Repeat Steps 6-9 using the same thickness of clump and this time point the tips over the hook eye. Keep doing this until you come to the eye of the hook. Remember to push the hair back as far as you can each time. It will pack better and give you a nicer head that way. Also, remember to alternate the direction of the tips each time you add a new clump.
- Whip Finish and apply your favorite head cement.
- Now for the fun part. The best place to start trimming is on the bottom. I prefer a razor blade from a box cutter to do the bottom, but some like scissors. Either way, trim the bottom of the head flat and about 1/8" from the shank.
- Now I'll switch to my curved scissors, and trim the head as shown. Go in a little at a time and trim away everything that doesn't look like the fly in the picture. You want to make a sloping head on top and a flat suface on the bottom. Form the collar and trim the ragged edges. The collar is what makes this fly dive so keep it as symmetrical as possible so it swims straght.
- Apply the eyes and you're done. Now get out the vaccuum so your bride doesn't have a bird.
Copyright © 1999 - 2008 Ed Zaun, All Rights Reserved
|
