Mayfly Tying Instructions

The mayfly is a common aquatic insect that exists as a subsurface nymph and airborne adult. Tying flies to imitate the insect requires a well-proportioned representation of the insect's anatomy. You also must replicate the size and color of the natural insect to be successful on the water. Mayfly sizes range from several centimeters to several inches in length and common colors include gray, yellow, brown and mahogany. The nymph and emerging adult stages are the most important for anglers because the insects are vulnerable to fish.

Things You'll Need

  • Vise
  • Scissors
  • Standard nymph hook
  • 6/0 thread
  • Pheasant tail
  • Small copper wire
  • Peacock herl
  • White CDC
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clamp the hook in the fly tying vise and begin wrapping the thread at the half-way point on the shank. Continue wrapping the thread until you reach the hook bend.

    • 2

      Pull seven fibers off a pheasant tail and measure the fibers to match the length of the hook. Hold the fibers on the top of the hook bend to form the tail and make six tight thread wraps to secure the tail in place.

    • 3

      Pull the excess base of the tail feather in an upwards motion and wrap the thread behind the fibers. Cut a 10-inch section of small copper wire from a spool and hold the wire on the hook shank. Make five firm thread wraps to secure the wire and wrap the thread two-thirds of the way down the hook shank.

    • 4

      Grab the base of the pheasant tail fibers and wrap the fibers down the hook shank until you reach the thread. Make six tight thread wraps to secure the fibers and cut away the excess with scissors.

    • 5

      Wrap the wire over the pheasant abdomen in an evenly spaced, diagonal pattern. The wire helps hold the pheasant in place and it adds the natural segmentation of a mayfly abdomen. Cut away the excess wire with scissors.

    • 6

      Pull six fibers off a pheasant tail and hold the fibers on top of the hook. Arrange the fibers with the tips laying on the abdomen and make six firm thread wraps to secure the base of the fibers on the hook.

    • 7

      Pull three strands of peacock herl from a bunch and hold the tips on top of the hook. Make six firm thread wraps to secure the tips to the hook. Wrap the thread to the eye of the hook.

    • 8

      Wrap the peacock herl to the eye of the hook. Build the herl into a thick ball that is three times the diameter of the abdomen. Make six firm thread wraps around the herl to secure it at the eye of the hook.

    • 9

      Grab the loose pheasant tail fibers and pull them over the back of the peacock herl thorax to form a wing-case. Make three firm thread wraps to secure the wing-case and do not trip the fiber tips. Stroke the tips of the fibers forward on each side of the hook and make three thread wraps to hold them in place. The tips resemble the gills on a mayfly. Stop at this point to represent the mayfly nymph.

    • 10

      Cut a small bunch of CDC fibers from a feather. Measure the CDC to match two-thirds the length of the hook shank. Hold the base of the fibers at the eye of the hook and make five tight thread wraps to secure the wing to the hook.

    • 11

      Use a whip finishing tool to knot the thread and complete the fly. Cut the thread flush to the hook with your scissors.