Haystack

Tied by Tom Knapp

This fly has been effective during Baetis.  I think its buggy appearance is just different enough to trigger strikes from troots that have seen just about everything.     

Materials

Hook: #18 TMC 100BL or dry fly hooks sized 18-22

Thread:  Red-Orange 70 Denier or equivalent

Tail:  Ginger Z-lon or Rust Snowshoe Hare, Deer hair

Wing:  Deer hair

Abdomen: Muskrat

Thorax: Muskrat

Tie in tail.

Tie in comparadun style forward wing at 1/3 point with a few wraps between wing and eye to stand it up.  Trim rear of deer hair to form taper and cover with tying thread.

Sparsely dub muskrat onto tying thread and wrap forward to form abdomen.  It’s ok to have some of the thread show through your wraps. 

Continue wrapping under and in front of wing to form thorax. 

Make several wraps behind hook eye to form head and then whip finish. 

Trim any materials below body of fly to form flat underside.

Spread wing to form 180 degree arc around top of thorax.

Glue wing fibers and thread to solidify wraps.

Fran Betters Fly Fishing, Fly Tying Pattern Guide has more info and other Adirondack patterns and is still available from their website: http://ausablewulff.com/flyselections.html