How to Tie a Dahlberg Diver

The Dahlberg Diver is a hair style popper fly. The diver is ideal for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass and pike. The fly is designed for an aggressive fly-fishing style that targets active and predatory fish. Tying the diver uses basic fly-tying skills with some advanced work on the head. Spinning deer hair in a tight pattern is required for a high floating and effective head. The Dahlberg Diver is an active and noisy pattern that draws vicious strikes from fish.

Things You'll Need

  • Vise
  • 1/0 streamer hook
  • 3/0 thread
  • Saddle hackle
  • Pearl flash
  • Buck tail
  • Deer hair
  • Whip finish tool
  • Razor blade
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clamp the hook in the jaws of the fly-tying vise. Start the thread at the bend with 20 wraps.

    • 2

      Select five saddle hackles from a bunch and align the tips. Hold the feathers on the bend to build the tail. Make 10 thread wraps to hold the feathers in place. Cut the extra stems off the hook and wrap the thread half the distance down the shank.

    • 3

      Cut 10 pieces of pearl flash and hold the flash on top of the hook. Adjust the flash until the ends are aligned with the tips of the tail feathers. Make 10 thread wraps to secure the flash.

    • 4

      Cut a clump of buck tail off a hide and hold it on the hook. Align the tips of the hair around the hook bend. Spread the buck tail around the entire circumference of the hook and make 10 thread wraps to hold the material.

    • 5

      Cut a thick clump of deer hair from a hide. Hold the hair on top of the hook and make four tight thread wraps around the center of the clump. The wraps will spin and flare the hair in a wild pattern.

    • 6

      Use your fingers to push the hair forward and expose the hook shank. Add a second section of deer hair and repeat the process to spin the hair. Continue spinning hair on the shank until you reach the hook eye.

    • 7

      Hook the thread on a whip finish tool and spin the handle to tie off the thread. Cut the thread off the hook.

    • 8

      Push a razor blade along the bottom of the spun hair head to create a flat bottom. The flat section prevents the fly from rolling over on the water. Flex the blade with your fingers and trim the top and side of the head in a rounded position. Taper the top to create a thick section where the hair meets the buck tail.