Sulfur Dunn

salmo

salmo

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Apr 24, 2009
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I have tied sulfurs which caught trout. Most of the tying recipes have a solid yellowish body. Photos of the sulfur show a very clearly segmented body. How do you tie the sulfur dry fly?
 
Superfine or spectra blend dubbing. I try to make a fine tapered noodle smaller at the tail and increasing as it advances. Very slightly overlap the previous wrap. The wraps of dubbing give a somewhat segmented look.
I just learned to tie a dun recently. In the past I've had great evenings with comparadun and parachutes that I tied. I've also got hackle stackers ready to go. And I think my next fly to learn is going to be a Barr emerger. Hopefully that more than covers it.
 
I agree that there is segmentation on the abdomen of a sulphur dun but I feel that it is very subtle to say the least. I never felt the need to represent it in my ties, but if it gives you added confidence - that’s definitely worth a lot on the stream. Here’s a photo of a central PA sulphur dun taken in May of last year on a really well know central PA fishery.

IMG_8669.jpeg
 
Dear salmo,

To kind of paraphrase Tom Cruise in "Risky Business", "Fly-Rite 23, there is no substitute." It's what Steve Sywensky at Flyfishers Paradise told me to use 40 plus years ago.

It just works.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂
 
salmo said:
I have tied sulfurs which caught trout. Most of the tying recipes have a solid yellowish body. Photos of the sulfur show a very clearly segmented body. How do you tie the sulfur dry fly?
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All mayflies are segmented, whether you choose to worry about it or not is up to you.

I tie several different variations of Sulphur duns and none are segmented nor are any of my other dun imitations for other mayflies except a few tied with biots or quills, if I am in the mood.

To me in regards to catching fish, PRESENTATION is of the most importance followed by size of the fly and the silhouette.

I try and match the general color of the bug because I want to believe it matters but if I had a beer for every time I caught fish during a Sulphur hatch on the correct size fly that was dark brown or completely white...

...I'd be drunk. 😉
 
It’s a boatload of fun catching fish on top during a solid sulphur hatch, but IMO if you grit your teeth and fish a soft hackle sulphur wet fly right through the hatch you may very well catch more fish. It’s also possible this may just be a confidence thing for me personally. You can waste a lot of fishing time trying to dry out a drowned dry fly, whereas if you just continue to fish it under the film you’ll continue to smash fish and you don’t even have to be concerned with that drag free drift. Just something to think about.
 
dc410 said:
It’s a boatload of fun catching fish on top during a solid sulphur hatch, but IMO if you grit your teeth and fish a soft hackle sulphur wet fly right through the hatch you may very well catch more fish. It’s also possible this may just be a confidence thing for me personally. You can waste a lot of fishing time trying to dry out a drowned dry fly, whereas if you just continue to fish it under the film you’ll continue to smash fish and you don’t even have to be concerned with that drag free drift. Just something to think about.
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Dear dc410,

I've fished during the prime-time of Sulphur hatches with partridge and orange and partridge and yellow soft hackles and done well. If no bugs are about that's how I start fishing. I'll tie on one of each and decide after a few fish if there is a preferred color and go from there.

I fish the flies using the blood knot tag end of the tippet knot to tie on the dropper fly and sometimes add a couple small pieces of matchstick lead depending on the current flow. In a pinch I've even greased a soft hackle and the fish seem to think it's interesting enough even when duns are sail boating down the stream.

Casting quartering down stream and hand twist retrieving the flies brings some violent strikes and I often break the first fish off if I start out with 5X so I try to remember to stick with 4X or larger.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂
 
dc410 said:
It’s a boatload of fun catching fish on top during a solid sulphur hatch, but IMO if you grit your teeth and fish a soft hackle sulphur wet fly right through the hatch you may very well catch more fish. It’s also possible this may just be a confidence thing for me personally. You can waste a lot of fishing time trying to dry out a drowned dry fly, whereas if you just continue to fish it under the film you’ll continue to smash fish and you don’t even have to be concerned with that drag free drift. Just something to think about.
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I was with you for all you wrote above.......until the end of your last sentence.
 
afishinado said:
I was with you for all you wrote above.......until the end of your last sentence.
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I totally understand your disdain for my comment, Afish, but I’m going to double down on it. Many times, at least in my experience, when that drowned sunken dry fly picks up that first little bit of drag is when it gets hammered. If that fly was on the surface it would undoubtedly blow up the deal.
 
I think Sulphurs are pretty forgiving (as far as mayflies go) with drag. They’re a good beginner hatch in that regard. I catch a fair number of my Sulphur fish each year just at the point where the fly starts to drag a little. I think it must have something to do with how they emerge. Pat, please explain.

Other common mayfly hatches…Hendricksons, GD’s and SD’s you really gotta watch the drag more. IMO and experience. MB’s are even worse and the least forgiving IMO.
 
Swattie87 said:
I think Sulphurs are pretty forgiving (as far as mayflies go) with drag. They’re a good beginner hatch in that regard. I catch a fair number of my Sulphur fish each year just at the point where the fly starts to drag a little. I think it must have something to do with how they emerge. Pat, please explain.

Other common mayfly hatches…Hendricksons, GD’s and SD’s you really gotta watch the drag more. IMO and experience. MB’s are even worse and the least forgiving IMO.
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MB and ISO ?? Both of those nymphs are good swimmers. If my fly sinks,swingy dingy coming back to me. Plenty of action with movement involved. Actually think that a little twitch or swim often entices them into a take. When SD is hatching, let a prince swing below you and towards the bank. You might be surprised at the interest.


Blue Quill and Hendrickson, not so much.
 
JimNovo said:
I’d be happy to hand you over some…what would you like?
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Those are sweet ties. I know you're a Delaware guy. If I'm there when you are, I'll buy half dozen of each from ya. I've got plenty of EP fiber ties to trade 😁
 
krayfish2 said:
MB and ISO ?? Both of those nymphs are good swimmers. If my fly sinks,swingy dingy coming back to me. Plenty of action with movement involved. Actually think that a little twitch or swim often entices them into a take. When SD is hatching, let a prince swing below you and towards the bank. You might be surprised at the interest.


Blue Quill and Hendrickson, not so much.
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I was referring to the dun (or at least very near dun) stage on the surface. I can’t get eats on MB’s and SD’s if they’re dragging at all typically. I’ve caught fish on Sulphurs with my fly dangling downstream of me while I was opening a beer.
 
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