To properly learn the techniques and flies presented in this website, work your way through the Basic Skills sections and then do the listed flies in the recommended order. Each fly builds on previously learned skills. They become harder as you move along. Make sure you build several of each fly to solidify your skills at each step.

Importance to Fly Fishing

In early summer, damselfly nymphs migrate toward shore. They look for some kind of vegetation to crawl up and out of the water. This event attracts the fishes attention and they key in on the damsels as a food supply.

This pattern again was chosen for its ease of tying and it use of materials already listed for this project. It is not a pattern that can be attributed to any one person. Peter Burns, a Prince George fly fisherman and member of the Polar Coachman Fly Fishers, ties a very similar pattern. His pattern includes a wingcase which this one does not. Randall Kaufman’s Marabou Damsel also is similar but doesn’t have eyes. The eyes are included for two reasons. First of all they are fun. Beginners seem to like the buggy look it gives the fly. Secondly, eyes are a “trigger” which many people claim cause a fish to react and strike the fly.

In the Basic Skills sections you learned how to

• smash down the barb
• put the hook in the vice
• start the thread

Please do the above. For this fly move the thread forward toward the eye of the hook. Make sure there is a solid layer of thread around the shank. This is important. It will help keep the eyes more firmly in place.

Make sure the thread is hanging about 4 mm behind the hook eye. Now place the eyes on top of the hook shank above where you left the thread.

Tie in the eyes. Here is a top view. You’ll need to do criss cross wraps. As you wrap it one way, you’ll notice the eyes will move out of place a bit.

When you wrap the other way, the eyes will be pulled back into position. Make at least two firm wraps each way. The wraps should form an X pattern over the eye assembly.

Cut off a piece of copper wire about 6 cm long. Lay it along the shank of the hook. Tie it in using the Pinch. (see Basic Skills, section 5, Tying in the materials). Wrap the thread around the length of the wire and wind it back to the bend of the hook.

Choose a marabou feather, moisten it and position it over the shank of the hook as shown.

When tying in the marabou you need to be especially careful with this fly. The wraps must be at the bend of the hook. Using the pinch, make two light wraps around the marabou. Make sure the wraps are loose.

Now take the stem and pull it very slowly until 2 cm of marabou is still sticking out past the hook bend. After this, make two more firm wraps with the thread to lock the marabou into place.

Lift up the marabou plume up and out of the way. Next move the thread in wide wraps so it is behind the eyes you tied in earlier. Now take the marabou by the stem and give it two twists (no more than two).

Wrap the twisted marabou plume forward to just behind the tied in eyes. Remember, damselflies are skinny. Make wide wraps so you are just covering the hook shank. This keeps the fly slim. Cinch in the marabou plume at this point with no more than two wraps.

Next take the copper wire and move it forward in 4 to 5 wraps to where the thread is.

Pull the marabou out of the way and wrap the copper wire once behind the eyes, then under the eyes to the front. Give it a couple more wraps and then leave it for now.

Now move the thread over the eyes to the front. Wrap it around the wire once and snip off the wire. Remember, do not use your scissor tips when snipping wire. It will dull them. Make sure the wire is placed deep back in the scissors before cutting. Another option is to use some old scissors instead.

Next take the marabou and twist it again. Pull the marabou over the eyes. It is OK if some fibers stick out since they will lie back as the fly moves through the water when fished.

Next wrap the twisted plume once around the shank in front of the eyes. Tie it off as usual.

Snip off the excess material as close to the hook as possible (don’t snip the thread though).

Build a thread head, secure with 5 half hitch knots, snip the thread and add head cement.

Here is the completed Damselfly Nymph as viewed from above.

Click Here for more damselfly patterns.

Teacher Support Materials for this Section

How to fish the damselfly

How to troll flies