Dee Fly - The Dunt It seems like there has been an increased interest in Dee s lately, so I thought I would throw in. I tie and fish a number of different Dee s for both summer and winter run steelhead. The Dunt, below, along with the Tri Color Dee, two old school classics, have been a major source of inspiration for many of my steelhead patterns. I find myself reaching for three different colors of seal on most of the fishing flies I tie, even the smallest summer patterns. I do change the wing up a little bit on some to get a broader silhouette but for the most part stick to the traditional flat delta type wing. Dee s, without question, are a personal favorite of mine and I fish them with confidence. The hook below came to me via the Vise Master, Sir Rocky. I am not sure how old it is but my guess would be, older than I am. The hook pretty much told me what to tie on it, if you can believe that, and most of the materials used match the original pattern (except for the eye, but then it might, I just have to do a little research -- and the hackle). The fly seemed to come together without any major hiccups, other than not having the right silver twist or silver lace and taking three times to get the tip and tag right. Sometimes it just goes that way. The first tip and tag went away because of issues with the blind eye. I was not happy with the look of the second tip and tag attempt so I cut it off as well. Part of the problem was not having the right sized material. I ended up making both the twist for the tip and the lace for the rib by twisting oval tinsel with the turbo dubber. To me it made the difference, but then I don t think the fish would have really cared. Have fun with this one and thanks for looking.
The Dunt Designed by Mr. Murdoch, early 19th century Hook: Old school blind eye 3/0. Thread: Black 6/0. Tip: Silver twist. Tag: Light blue silk. Tail: Topping with teal Body: Equal sections of yellow, orange, and claret seal Ribs: Silver lace and flat silver tinsel Hackler: Black heron, if you are so lucky, I used dyed black burnt goose shoulder Collar: Teal. Wing: Two strips of brown turkey tail with black bars and white tips Sides: Jungle cock drooping.
With the hook secured in the vise you are ready to attach a loop eye made from gut, or if you are like me, braided Dacron. Keeping with tradition I wanted to use gut but after an extended search I gave up and grabbed the Dacron. The Dacron went on easily as usual followed by a tip and a tag. I stopped and took the photo for the step by step. But as I was looking at the photo I just couldn t get past the new wave look of the Dacron. I returned to the vise and cut the fly apart. I sat there looking at the hook trying to come up with a natural fiber to simulate gut, when suddenly it came to me, I have a palomino quarter horse in my pasture. I promptly went out and plucked a few hairs from his tail and returned to my tying bench with natural fibers in tow. I visually gauged a clump of the horse hair and furled it together. Happy with the results, I secured a horse hair loop to the old blind eye hook.
Change to primrose colored thread and secure in at the bend. Secure in a length of silver twist and then make securing wraps down the bend keeping the twist on the back side of the hook. When the tying thread is in line with the root of the barb stop and take two turns with the twist. Make a securing wrap with the tying thread and while keeping the tag end of the twist on the back side of the hook, return the tying thread to the starting point.
Next secure in a length of silk for the tag. Take the silk down to the tip and then return the silk to the tie in point. Take your time and keep it smooth. Remember the tip and tag set the feel for the rest.
Select a crest feather for the tail. Secure the crest feather in with two firm securing wraps. Select a teal flank feather and secure it in with a few more firm securing wraps. The key is to not build up a big bulge at the tail joint.
With the tip, tag and tail completed, move the tying thread forward two thirds. Secure in a length of lace/oval tinsel, followed by a length of flat tinsel, followed by a length of yellow silk. Wrap the silk down to the tail joint securing in the ribbings as you go. Butt the silk up to the light blue tag making sure not to leave a gap. This will ensure a good transition from the tail to the dubbed body. Tie a knot in the remaining length of silk to form a dubbing loop. Load the loop with yellow, then orange dubbing. Dub the first two thirds of the body, keeping the two sections equal in length. Secure in the hackle and finish dubbing the body by making a dubbing loop with the tying thread and loading it with the claret dubbing.
Next bring the ribs forward making five turns with the flat tinsel, followed by the lace. Make sure you pull the flat tinsel firmly into the dubbing. Failing to do so will result in the ribs loosening when the dubbing is picked out.
The hackle follows the lace. Tucking the stem tightly against the lace will protect it from breaking. With the hackle secure, pull all the fiber downward. Give a good pinch on the sides and top of the hook to keep them in place.
Select a long fibered teal flank feather and secure in for the collar. Take a few wraps with the feather, two to three should do it. Then pull all the fibers down and give a good pinch. I add the sides/checks in next, this helps to keep the wing flat on top.
To set the wing takes a little work. The key is to compress the two strips together so it is feather to feather, not feather to hook. The process is the same as a strip wing in selecting the strips. The difference in a delta wing is the strips lay flat on top of the hook.
Here is a close up showing the compression of the two strips.
Clip the tag ends and give it a whip and a hit of head cement and this one is ready and will be fished.
Top view
And the back side