Big Mayfly Dries

[Jszczerba07]

Hello all,
Cold winter temps have me thinking about the last few weeks of May and June. I love tying big mayfly dries, even if I don’t get the chance to fish all of them. However, I switch up the hooks I like best for them. (3xl, 2xl, 1xf, 1xh…) I typically prefer the longer hooks rather than going to a #6 or so standard hook. I feel like the big dries look “weird” on the larger standard hooks, but maybe its just me. For the big green drakes, brown drakes, coffin flies, MB spinners, etc. what thoughts do any of you have on hook choice?

For larger spinners and brown drakes I have fished a bunch of different patterns, which all work, but have their own drawbacks. The more realistic ones are hard to see in the dark, the high visibility ones aren’t always sparse enough, etc. Does anyone have a “perfect” spinner pattern that checks all the boxes? Also if anyone has patterns they’d like to share for those large, fun to tie, mayflies.

Here’s some of the patterns I usually tie:

 

[dryflyguy]

Very nice looking flies!
I also prefer to use 2x long size hooks for the big march browns and green drakes

Noticed that you have some with extended bodies too
I was enamored with them for awhile, thinking that they look a bit more realistic
But it seems somewhat tougher to hook on fish them in my experience
And I no longer tie them

 

[dudemanspecial]

I don't use anything larger than a size 10 for Mayfly patterns. I do like you do and go up to a 3XL if I want a bigger body. Hares ear parachutes and adams are really the only patterns I tie in big sizes.

 

[Jszczerba07]

Never noticed that with the extended bodied flies, I’ll have to keep an eye out - probably haven’t fished them as much as you

I tie most of my dries on 1xl, thinking i’ll stick with that, but then get #10s in 2xl and 3xl rather than #6s and #8s. Trying to narrow to a more streamlined selection of hooks and stick with them. I’m having a hard time finding any brands that have a dry fly hook in 1xl, 2xl, and 3xl though. Maybe Tiemco, and their prices are the only option

 

[Tigereye]

Art Flick designed variant flies for larger mayflies.ie March Brown, Yellow, Slate and Green Drakes. Though excellent flies, I seem to experience alot of misses. Comparadun style flies minimize the problem in IMHO.

I also find no need for anything larger than size 10, even for larger flies except for the extremely finicky fish.

 

[poopdeck]

Mayfly Muddler. Tied these up the end of last October. Haven’t fished them yet but they are the biggest dries I have and I found them exceptionally enjoyable to tie.

Hook - Mustad size 12 3XL
Thread - Gray 12/0 veevus
Tail - Moose body hair
Underwing Wing - Mallard flank
Body - Moose mane, 1 black 2 cream
Hackle - Grizzly
Over wing - Natural deer body hair
Head - Natural deer body hair

 

[Broodstock]

Mayfly Muddler. Tied these up the end of last October. Haven’t fished them yet but they are the biggest dries I have and I found them exceptionally enjoyable to tie.

Hook - Mustad size 12 3XL
Thread - Gray 12/0 veevus
Tail - Moose body hair
Underwing Wing - Mallard flank
Body - Moose mane, 1 black 2 cream
Hackle - Grizzly
Over wing - Natural deer body hair
Head - Natural deer body hair

View attachment 1641240104

that looks great and also looks like it will float really well, right in the film and not sink.

 

[Bamboozle]

I've been tying a simple extended body parachute on a regular size 12 light wire dry fly hook using 1/8 diameter cylindrical foam for the body for decades.

I slit the foam cylinder halfway through with a razor blade the length of hook shank, slide it over the top of the hook & lash it down.​

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I stick a hot needle in the end of the cylinder and glue some some Microfibbettes or moose mane in the hole for a tail.​

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Then I tie in the wing and parachute hackle.​

If you wanted to, you could color up the body with markers or taper the end of the foam by the tail but I don't bother.

The combination of the foam, light wire smaller hook and parachute hackle makes it float like a cork and the softness of the foam negates hook-up issues.