Home / Blog / Para-Daddy Step-by-Step

Para-Daddy Step-by-Step

Rex Fey 3

Para-Daddy Step-by-Step

Words and photos courtesy of Rex Fey

Step 1: Use a #14-16 hook as this is intended to be a juicy meal of a fly, and it’s very difficult to tie this fly on smaller than #16. Bed the hook and tie in a 3 long tail fibers. I have used mongoose hairs for their stiffness and they have a great natural colour that suits the fly.
Step 1: Use a #14-16 hook as this is intended to be a juicy meal of a fly, and it’s very difficult to tie this fly on smaller than #16. Bed the hook and tie in a 3 long tail fibers. I have used mongoose hairs for their stiffness and they have a great natural colour that suits the fly.

IMG_4628

Step 2: Spin the deerhair body. I use the red or orange deerhair for near the tailand thereafter I use natural brown colour. This makes a great hotspot once the body is clipped.
Step 2: Spin the deerhair body. I use the red or orange deerhair for near the tailand thereafter I use natural brown colour. This makes a great hotspot once the body is clipped.
Step 3. When clipping the body I like to do several aggressive cuts to get the general shape right, and then neaten it up from there.
Step 3. When clipping the body I like to do several aggressive cuts to get the general shape right, and then neaten it up from there.

 

Capture2

Step 4: Neaten up the body so from the side on veiw it looks flattish, and from above it looks fat. The reason for this is to give the fly the appearance of being meaty fat from below, but in reality the fly isn't too bulky that it negatively affects its presentation.
Step 4: Neaten up the body so from the side on veiw it looks flattish, and from above it looks fat. The reason for this is to give the fly the appearance of being meaty fat from below, but in reality the fly isn’t too bulky that it negatively affects its presentation.

IMG_4639

Step 5: First tie in a bunch of squirrel tail fibers, leaving a small amount of space at the front. This reason for this will become clear as you proceed. Then tie in a yarn post of the colour of your choice. I like the orange post as it assists with the visibility of the fly. Leave a small amount of space in front of the hook when you tie in the squirrel tail fibers.
Step 5: First tie in a bunch of squirrel tail fibers, leaving a small amount of space at the front. This reason for this will become clear as you proceed. Then tie in a yarn post of the colour of your choice. I like the orange post as it assists with the visibility of the fly. Leave a small amount of space in front of the hook when you tie in the squirrel tail fibers.
Step 6: Chose a nice long hackle with short fibers and a flexible stem. Tie in the hackle with shiny side facing outwards so the when you wind the hackle from the top downwards, you don’t trap any fibers. Make sure the bobbin is hanging in front of the fly (facing you). The thread will be in the right position to tie round the base of the post and to tie in the hackle without trapping too many fibers and ruining your hackle.
Step 6: Chose a nice long hackle with short fibers and a flexible stem. Tie in the hackle with shiny side facing outwards so the when you wind the hackle from the top downwards, you don’t trap any fibers. Make sure the bobbin is hanging in front of the fly (facing you). The thread will be in the right position to tie round the base of the post and to tie in the hackle without trapping too many fibers and ruining your hackle.
Step 7: The reason for the thread hanging in front of the fly should now be apparent. Tie off the hackle by wrapping the thread 2 or 3 times round the base of the post in the same direction as the hackle was wound.
Step 7: The reason for the thread hanging in front of the fly should now be apparent. Tie off the hackle by wrapping the thread 2 or 3 times round the base of the post in the same direction as the hackle was wound.
Step 8: Lightly dub the thread and tie around the base of the post and make a small buggy head.
Step 8: Lightly dub the thread and tie around the base of the post and make a small buggy head.
Step 9: The view from under the fly. Once you have neatly dubbed the head you bring the thread to the front of the fly.
Step 9: The view from under the fly. Once you have neatly dubbed the head you bring the thread to the front of the fly.
Step 10: Split the Squirrel fibers evenly and pull them backwards on either side of the fly. Tie them backwards and finish off the head of the fly. The fun part is now to maneuver the fibers around the fly in a halo. Hold onto the post and pull it from side to side as you pull the fibers round and into place. The hackle fibers hold the squirrel fibers in place very well once they are in place they stay there pretty much permanently. Once done with the fibers, snip off the post nice and short.
Step 10: Split the Squirrel fibers evenly and pull them backwards on either side of the fly. Tie them backwards and finish off the head of the fly. The fun part is now to maneuver the fibers around the fly in a halo. Hold onto the post and pull it from side to side as you pull the fibers round and into place. The hackle fibers hold the squirrel fibers in place very well once they are in place they stay there pretty much permanently. Once done with the fibers, snip off the post nice and short.
Front View
Front View
Rear view
Rear view
Top View
Top View

 

3 thoughts on “Para-Daddy Step-by-Step”

  2. Thanks Leonard. A bit of a fisherman catcher but it works well too. I have recently dubbed the head with cdc using the split thread method. They look really buggy! Probably better than this version but they evolving quicker than I can fish them. FlyVolution at its best;-)

    Reply

Leave a comment

RELATED ARTICLES

fly fishing dullstroom youtube
Featured 12 September 2024 0

17 LESSONS FROM F...

While experiencing Dullstroom trout fly fishing in style at Walkersons Hotel & Spa (golf carts, chonky troot, spa treatments and
blue yellowfish mpifu
Africa 10 September 2024 0

80% DAGGA BOY 

Venturing where very few fly anglers have gone before, Leonard Flemming and Ben Pellegrini unleash their inner furries and take
Perch Peanut fly tying Nile perch
Africa 10 September 2024 0

PERCH PEANUT: STE...

How do you catch Africa’s largest freshwater fish? If you answered “using a pink and red Peanut” then you’d be spot on.

SHOP MISSION MERCH

Subscribe to our newsletter and get all the latest to your inbox!