When tying big, bushy dry-flies it is quite possible to get away with using a big, heavy longshank hook. However, with patterns imitating insects such as the daddy-longlegs, the need to tie them as sparsely as possible while still making them float means the weight of a longshank is too great.
Here the technique of using a detached body comes into its own. This is where the body is tied quite long but protruding past the bend of the hook rather than being wound around the shank. The result is that a smaller hook can be used, producing a lighter fly that is easier to cast, floats better, and hooks more fish as there is less resistance on the take.
Various materials may be used to form a detached body, from deer hair and various yarns to closed-cell foam. The advantages of the latter material are that it is tough and buoyant and it can be cut to shape easily. This buoyancy is particularly important as it allows the fly to float without the need for many turns of hackle.
To get the shape of the body, a sharp blade or scissors are used to cut a thin strip from the appropriately coloured sheet. The end may then either be cut or melted in a flame to form the pointed tip of the abdomen.
Hook Size 10 wide gape Thread Brown
Body Tan foam Legs Six to eight fibres
of cock pheasant tail Wings Grizzle
hackle points Thorax Tan fur Thorax
cover Tan foam Hackle Brown cock
hackle
WHERE, WHEN & HOW TO FISH
W H E R E
Works on all manner of lakes and reservoirs, especially those surrounded by grass, where the larvae of the adults live.
W H E N
Though various species of daddy-longlegs can be seen throughout the summer it is autumn when the greatest concentrations are found.
H O W
Tied with a detached body, the Daddy is fished as a standard dry-fly on a floating line. As it is so big and wind-resistant it is normally fished singly on a 12 ft leader of 6 lb-8 lb monofilament. Simply cast it out and allow the fly to drift along with the breeze. It can be fished either from a boat or, if from the bank, cast out with the wind behind the angler so that it is in the same place as the real daddy longlegs that are being blown on to the water.
T Y I N G T I P
Though six legs are the standard for an insect imitation, adding an extra two doesn’t put the fish off but does make the fly last longer.
In sizes for trout and salmon and with looks to match its performance, Sage’s new fly reel is the perfect match for spey casts.