Making extended mayfly bodies.

There are many different ways to make extended mayfly bodies.  I've tried everything from deer hair, to porcupine quills.  My main issue with these other methods, is that it's hard to make the bodies the right size.

This method is very similar to another method that uses a needle (found in the Fly Tier's Bench side Reference) with one major difference.  Silicone.  Silicone will float much better than dubbing coated in head cement.

The idea is that since the body is tied on a needle, once you take it off, it leaves an open cavity inside the body which traps air and helps keep your fly floating.

Materials needed:
Needle - A regular sewing needle.
Silicone - Clear drying, waterproof
Dubbing - Any standard dry fly dubbing.  I'm using superfine blue wing olive dry fly dubbing.
Mayfly tailing material - I'm using dun colored mayfly tail fibbets.

You will also need either an electric drill, or a true rotary vise (rotates the fly in-line).

 Put your needle in your drill.

Put a thin coat of silicone on the needle.

Put your tailing material on the needle.  The silicone will hold it in place.

Take a small wisp of dubbing, start rotating your drill/vise, and touch the wisp of dubbing to the rotating needle.  This will wrap your dubbing around the needle.  Add more dubbing as needed.  Build a slight taper as shown.

Make sure your tailing material is separated as shown.











Remove the body from the needle by sliding it off the end.

Put a little bend in the body, and set it aside to dry.