M'ole Grey Hen

[Mataura mayfly]

Curious....has anyone else heard about or seen this technique? I have.... just saying.....

Never tried it myself, I may have heard or read of it, but never followed it up at the vice. Proof would be in fishing it to see if the Mole dubbing washes off.

[Jerry G]

I'm sure I have tried the technique on just a few flies some time ago. I'm not sure much more is accomplished than trapping the fibers between the initial base of silk and the intended rib. I have to say the fly sure looks nice though Tom. Now give it a swim and see what the fish think.

Regards, Jerry

[Izaak]

I'm sure I have tried the technique on just a few flies some time ago. I'm not sure much more is accomplished than trapping the fibers between the initial base of silk and the intended rib. I have to say the fly sure looks nice though Tom. Now give it a swim and see what the fish think.

Regards, Jerry

Jerry,

Yes, you may be right. I certainly don't have any stock in this "technique", and once I get the split thread method down, after I get new thread that will allow me to do it, there will be no going back anyway. Eventually I will give this fly a swim. By then I will have completely forgotten about this post, and the fly will probably be hung up in a tree anyway....

Tom

[Old Hat]

I have always done touch dubbing in the same way. Learned it years ago from a show. I just dub a bit heavier when touching and let the untrapped fibers fly away when the thread twists. I do wax the thread with a sticky wax first which helps grab the dubbing fibers and cause them to get caught in the twist. The wax hardens a bit over time and "cements" the trapped fibers in. I do more often now use the same technique just with the split thread.

Great pattern Izaak. Very similar color scheme to the Old Master. One of my favorites.

[JohnP]

About the 2:10 mark and onward, Davie McPhail demonstrates the technique referenced above:

http://youtu.be/6zR2QXREz70?t=2m11s

[DUBBN]

Even if the dubbing is or is not trapped in between the thread filaments the pattern is still fishable. As the video shows the dubbing ended up in a noodle. If it had not the dubbing still would have been touch dubbed and would have been secured as it was wrapped forward. In any scenario you end up with a durable, and serviceable fly . Izaak, I would not give up on this technique if you like the results.

That being said, I still prefer the split thread technique. Izaak, have you decided which thread you will be purchasing for this application? Bennechi 12/0 has been my favorite for about a year now. In second is Griffin Sheer 14/0 followed by UTC70. That was until a few weeks ago when I purchased some Veevus 14/0. It is competing for the top spot with Bennechi as of this week end.

Here is a size 24 (Umpqua U202). The thorax/under wing is mole in a split thread. Veevus 14/0 Gray. Sorry about the pic quality

[Izaak]

DUBBN,

WOW! What a nice looking #24 fly! Kudos to you buddy! Thanks for the information about the threads. I need to stock up on some of these brand names. Most of my thread is Uni-thread and it just doesn't split well at all. #24....wow!

Tom

[Izaak]

About the 2:10 mark and onward, Davie McPhail demonstrates the technique referenced above:

http://youtu.be/6zR2QXREz70?t=2m11s

Thanks John! Maybe that is where I saw it.....

[JohnP]

You're welcome, Izaak. And Wayne, you have some mad tying skilz on those tiny flies. An 18 is about all I can manage, and nowhere near as well as you. (I guess I have decided to resume posting, at least for a while.)

[DUBBN]

(I guess I have decided to resume posting, at least for a while.)