Extended Body - Deer Hair

After working to improve many of my tying techniques this summer, I decided to try creating some extended body patterns, a challenge that I had not yet faced.  There are really three basic materials that are used extensively by most tyers to create this look; foam, deer hair, and dubbing.  After researching various patterns that incorporate this technique and consulting with a few other tyers, I decided to start with deer hair as this material lends itself well to larger mayfly recipes. 

One of the most common deer hair extended bodied patterns that I have run across is the Paradrake.  Below is my third attempt.  This fly was moderately challenging as I initially had a difficult time determining the right amount of deer hair to use to create a proportionate body. 

Paradrake

After tying a few of these, I decided to incorporate another technique that I had been reading about that introduced the use of a needle and would require the construction of the fly to be done in the reverse order.  I liked this adaptation as it created a more delicate representation which could more aptly be applied to various mayfly species.

Using a needle to create the body was easy.  Just remember to coat the needle in dubbing wax as this will allow you to remove the form once the construction is complete.

Modified Paradrake