Extended Body Hex Mayfly
by Elaine Cook
Starting in late June and well into July, the largest species of mayfly emerges in a number of waters in North-east California including Lake Almanor, Manzanita Lake, and Fall River. The insect leaves the mud late in the day, swims to the surface after the sun has set, and spins aggressively for a minute or two to free itself from its nymphal shuck. The big boys come for a feast! Be sure to have a few of these if you go or are joining Tom Donovan on his trip to Lake Almanor.
| Hook: | TMC size 10 |
| Thread: | yellow 6/0 |
| Wing: | Yellow dyed deer hair,
fibers thin and not porous |
| Tail: | Moose body or tail |
| Body: | Yellow dyed deer hair,
porous fibers about 2" long |
| Hackle: | Yellow dyed grizzly,
barbs two times hook gap |
1. Crimp barb and attach thread 1/4 back on shank.
2. Wing details: Select a bunch of hair about the size of a wooden match. Clean out the under fur. Stack tips. Tie onto hook shank, tips extending beyond eye so that wing equals length of hook, first wrap around hair only. Cut butts at an angle and tie securely to hook shank. A couple of wraps of thread can be wrapped in front of wing to help it stand upright.
3. Tail details: Select about a dozen fibers. Clean out under fur and short fibers, stack tips. Return thread to rear of shank. Tie in moose with tips to rear and extending two hook lengths beyond shank. Cut butts at an angle and bind onto top of hook shank.
4. Body details: Move thread to behind eye. Select clump of hair about size of two wooden matchsticks (after cleaning). Clean out under fur. Stack tips. Tie in with tips extending beyond eye equal to 2 times hook length. Pull snugly allowing hair to flare. Make several more wraps, cut butts. Move thread to in front of wing. Facing the front of the fly, use a bodkin to divide body on top of shank and stroke backward on sides and bottom of fly, holding wing upright. Using half hitch tool, push body backward. Make one wrap in front of wing and one behind wing. While continuing to hold body material along shank out from tail, make wide turns like a barber pole along shank, then continue wrapping body only until near end of body material. Make three wraps in the same spot, then wrap forward in wide wraps like a barber pole to in front of wing. (note: the wraps will appear to crisscross) Cut tips of body material beyond last wrap of thread. (see diagram) Cut all but 4 or 5 tail hairs.
5. Hackle detail: Cut fuzzy end off hackle. Cut 3 - 4 fibers short at end of stem. Wrap in at base of wing shiny side facing you. Reposition thread by warping clockwise around base of wing leaving thread hanging in front of shank. Attach hackle pliers to hackle top and let hang in front of shank. Make 5 - 6 wraps of hackle around base of wing. Half hitch thread at base of wing to tie off. Cut thread and hackle. Lift hackle in front and apply drop of head cement. Reshape wing and hackle into place.
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