How to tie the Foam Daddy

Time Well Spent April 19, 2023

A classic dry-fly that will stay afloat and catch fish, especially in autumn.

Materials for the Foam Daddy

Hook: Size 10-12 short shank  
Thread: Brown  

Body: Tan foam cylinder  
Legs: Knotted pheasant tail fibres  

Wings: Grizzle hackle points

Thorax: Tan poly dub

Thorax cover: Foam cylinder

Hackle: Grey CDC

Step 1. Fix the hook in the vice and run the thread halfway along the shank. Using a cigarette lighter, melt one end of a foam cylinder to a point.

Step 2. Position the foam cylinder on top of the shank and catch it in just past its midpoint. Secure with further tight thread turns.

Step 3. Wind the tying thread on to the hook shank, under the forward-facing end of the foam. 
Create a pheasant-tail leg with two knots.

Step 4. Produce another five legs, using overhand knots to form the joints. Split the legs into two equal bunches and add them to either side of the body.

Step 5. Select two matching grizzle cock hackles and strip the fibres from the stems to leave two points. Catch them in either side of the body.

Step 6. Fold back the ends of the hackle stems and bind them down with thread turns. Select a large CDC plume and catch it in by its tip.

Step 7. Apply a pinch of tan dubbing to the thread and wind it on to form the thorax. Hold the CDC plume by its base and wind on two or three turns.

Step 8. Secure the CDC hackle at the eye then trim off the waste. With the thread at the eye, draw the end of the foam over the thorax and secure.

Step 9. Cast off the thread at the eye with a secure whip finish then trim the end of the foam to leave a small head. Pinch off stray CDC fibres.