Dragons & Damsels
Damsel Flies and Dragon Flies offer the fly tier interesting and somewhat unique subjects to imitate. As an aquatic insect these creatures are a food source to trout in their nymph stage as well as their winged adult stage. In this section of the Library we have included recipes for both life cycle stages.
Nymph stages of both insects are fairly large as aquatic nymphs go with Dragon nymphs tied on hook sizes 6 or 8 and Damsel nymphs tied on sizes 10 or 12. Because of their size and resulting buoyancy issues the larger patterns are often internally weighted.
Dry fly patterns for damsel and dragon fly adults are all about the wings. In both cases standard imitation wing materials as well as creative options are often the focal point of the finished fly. Parachute designs also play a role in designing Damsel patterns producing some of the more productive designs.
Adult Damsel Dry- Burks (Blue Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC101, Thread- Blue 3/0, Eyes- Monofilament black nymph exes size x-small, Thorax- Blue dyed deer hair, Wing- Light blue dun hackle, Legs- Three blue 3/0 Monocord tied spinner style, Body- Blue Z-Lon twisted to extend twice the length of the hook shank.
Damsel Nymph Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5263, Thread- Olive 6/0, Head- Olive Swiss Straw, Eyes- Monofilament nymph eyes, Thorax- Olive Antron dubbing, Wingcase- Olive Swiss Straw, Legs- Olive grouse sections, Abdomen- Olive Antron dubbing, Ribbing- Fine gold wire, Tail- Olive marabou tips.
Dragon Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5262, Thread Brown 3/0, Head- Light olive Antron Hare blend, Eyes- Black plastic bead chain, Wingcase- Olive hen body feather coated with Flexament, Legs- Hen pheasant body feather, Over Abdomen- Olive Lava Lace weaved, Under Abdomen- Olive Lava Lace over 25 lb Mason with olive - brown Antron dubbing.
Lake Dragon Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5263BL, Thread- Olive 6/0, Eyes- Monofilament nymph eyes, Thorax-50% Olive Rabbit dubbing and 50% Angora goat dubbing , Wingcase- Brown turkey tail section, Legs- Olive Ringneck pheasant rump, Abdomen- 50% Olive Rabbit dubbing and 50% Angora goat dubbing, Ribbing- Fine copper wire, Tail- short dyed olive grizzly marabou. Pattern Designer: Randall Kaufmann
Parachute Damsel ( Blue Color Scheme) Pattern Recipe: Hook- TMC5212, Thread- Black 6/0, Head- Medium blue bucktail, Wingcase- Medium blue bucktail twisted, Hackle- Light blue dun wrapped horizontally parachute style, Body- Medium blue dyed bucktail extending past the bend almost the length of the shank , Ribbing- Black 6/0 thread cross hatched.