When it comes to stillwater fly fishing, imitating different stages of the damselfly life cycle can be crucial for success. Many anglers focus solely on the nymphal stage, and rightfully so. Damselfly emergence usually takes place from May through mid July, depending on the conditions. To begin the hatch, the nymphs will leave their hiding spots among the weeds and begin to swim toward shore in massive numbers. Trout often key in on this migration, picking off the nymphs before they reach the banks.
So if the nymphs are so important, why fish an adult damsel?
Adult damselflies are talented pilots that don’t give hungry trout a chance to snatch them. That is not the case, however, at the end of their life cycle. Adult damsels will often dip their abdomens below the surface film to deposit their eggs, which causes them to become entrapped. Once stuck on the surface of the water, these adult damselflies become an easy meal for cruising trout.
Enter the Para Damsel. Created by longtime fly fishing guide and Umpqua Feather Merchants Signature Tyer Todd Birchby, this fly is an excellent imitation of the blue adult damsels found throughout the western states. Featuring a realistic profile and proportions, the Para Damsel lands and floats on the water just like the real bugs.
“To be honest, I had never tied an adult damsel fly before. I actually had a friend ask me to create a new pattern for him. The Para Damsel was the fly I came up with in the end. I’ve fished this fly in still and moving water. It floats great, but more importantly, it casts great. Most big body dry flies will try to spin and twist the leader when you’re casting them. But this little guy just won’t do that.
I tied two iterations of the Para Damsel. The first I called the ‘Krystal Damsel’ and it didn’t have any wings. It had the same tail, thorax, flash, etc. The team at Umpqua thought it looked great and were getting ready to add it to their catalog. But after showing the fly to my brother, he recommended adding wings for a better-looking profile. So I added the wings and showed the new iteration to Umpqua - they loved the new version even more. And just like that, the Para Damsel was born.”
- Todd Birchby
In this video, Umpqua Signature Tyer Todd Birchby takes us through the process of tying his Para Damsel from start to finish. To make the most of this tutorial, use the timestamps below the fly recipe for navigating to the part of the tying process you'd like to see!
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MATERIALS LIST:
HOOK: Firehole Stick 316 OR Tiemco 2499SP-BLB (Size 12-14)
THREAD: 70 Denier Ultra Thread (Peacock Blue)
POST: McFlylon Poly Yarn (White)
HACKLE: Whiting Dry Fly Hackle (Grizzly)
TAIL: Hareline Adult Damsel Body (Blue)
FLASH: Flashabou (Pearl)
BODY: Razor Foam (Opaque Blue)
RIB: Ultra Wire (Small | Peacock Blue)
WINGS: Swiss Straw (Clear)
EYES: Mono Eyes (Small | Black)
ADHESIVE: Water-Based Head Cement
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CHAPTERS / TIME STAMPS: Tying the Para Damsel
00:00 - Intro
00:26 - Starting the thread
01:18 - Tying in the parachute post
03:50 - Tying in the hackle
05:00 - Tying in the tail
06:56 - Tying in the Flashabou
08:17 - Anchoring the foam
08:40 - Anchoring the wire
09:16 - Wrapping the foam and the wire
11:05 - Tying in the wings
12:40 - Tying in the eyes
13:13 - Building the head
16:35 - Wrapping the hackle
19:00 - Trimming the parachute
19:21 - Trimming the wings
20:43 - Adding head cement to finish
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21 июл 2024
