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April Rust Mayfly Wet Fly

by @dekasso

April Rust Mayfly Wet Fly — a fly pattern by Dekasso
More by @dekasso

Wet fly

Spring light on a cold, clear creek

A sparse mayfly wet fly on a size 14 hook, rust quill body and dun wings, for trout on spring freestone water.

A slim mayfly wet fly with a rust segmented body and long tail fibres that sweep upward. Dun hen hackle tips form the swept wing over a sparse dun collar and a rust thread head.

Imitates
Early-season mayfly hatches
When
typically spring afternoons on freestone creeks
Hook
size 14
Tippet
5Xrule of three
  • Size 14 wet-fly hook
  • Rust stripped quill body, cleanly segmented
  • Long Coq de Leon tail curving upward
  • Dun hen hackle-tip wings
  • Sparse dun hen collar for soft movement

On the water

A soft-hackle wet fly swinging through mid-water

Rust segments run the length of a thin quill body. Two long tan tail fibres arc up and away behind it. Grey dun wings lie back over the top, and a wisp of soft hackle trails underneath.

Fish it in the runs and riffle tails when the first mayflies come off in spring. Cast across, let it swing on a tight line, and give a small lift as it rises at the end of the drift. A slow dead drift through a seam works too.

Stripped hackle quill makes that crisp segmentation. Soak it for a few minutes before wrapping so it lies flat without splitting, then let each wrap just touch the last.

A coiled leader, tippet spools and an open fly box on slate

Rigging

Tippet
5Xhook size divided by three
Leader
Nine feet, with fluorocarbon tippet to get it down
  • Tie on 5X or 6X tippet; a clinch knot keeps the slim profile intact.
  • Swing it across and down, then lift the rod tip slowly as the line straightens.
  • Add a small split shot a foot above the fly to reach deeper runs.

Where and when

Hatch
Early-season mayfly hatchestypically spring afternoons on freestone creeks
Target
Trout
Water type
Freestone runs, riffle tails and soft seams
Also fishes
Slow pools during a spinner fall, and the tail of a riffle on overcast days when mayflies drift low in the film.

Make it yourself

Intermediate5 materials · 10 steps

Style
Wet fly
Hook
Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hooksize 14
Thread
Rust 8/0
Fly-tying materials laid out on a dark bench

Materials in the order they go on the hook

  1. TailCoq de Leon fibres
  2. BodyRust stripped hackle quill
  3. HackleDun hen hackle
  4. WingDun hen hackle tips
  5. HeadRust 8/0 thread

Details

Imitates
Mayfly
Colors
Rust, Dun grey, Tan
A fly-tying vise holding a bare hook on a wooden bench

How to tie it

The steps, from first wrap to whip finish (10)
  1. Mount the hook in the vise and start the rust thread one eye-length behind the eye, wrapping a thin base back to the bend.
  2. Tie in four to six Coq de Leon fibres at the bend, about one and a half hook shanks long, and let them flare slightly upward.
  3. Keep the tail butts trimmed short and bind them down evenly so the rear of the body stays thin.
  4. Tie in a soaked rust stripped hackle quill by its thin tip at the bend.
  5. Wrap the quill forward in touching turns to two-thirds up the shank, building a slight taper, then tie off and trim.
  6. Tie in a dun hen hackle by the tip just ahead of the body.
  7. Make two sparse wraps of hackle, tie off, and stroke the fibres back and down under the hook.
  8. Match two dun hen hackle tips, concave sides together, about one hook shank long.
  9. Tie the wings on top, swept back over the body, and trim the stems.
  10. Build a small, neat rust thread head and whip finish.
Proportions (4)
  • Tail: about one and a half times the hook shank length.
  • Body: covers the rear two-thirds of the shank with a slim taper.
  • Wing: reaches just past the bend of the hook.
  • Hackle: fibres roughly as long as the hook gape, two wraps only.
Tips (4)
  • Soak the stripped quill for a few minutes so it wraps without cracking.
  • Stroke the tail fibres between finger and thumb to encourage the upward curve.
  • Keep the hackle sparse; a few fibres move better in current than a full collar.
  • Leave a clear eye-length behind the eye so the head stays small.
Common mistakes (4)
  • Lumpy tail tie-in fattens the body; trim the butts short and wrap them flat.
  • Overlapping quill wraps hide the segments; let each turn just meet the last.
  • Wings tied too tall look like a dry fly; pinch them low and swept back before tightening.
  • Too many hackle wraps make it bushy; stop at two turns.
A dozen-fly materials kit laid out on slate with its recipe card.
The kit

Every kit size

Materials only

Size 14 · Materials only · 12 flies

$55.75

$4.65 a fly

Includes Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook · and 7 more

Every item in this kit · 8 items

Hooks & beads

  • Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook$6.501 × 25 · size 14

Thread & wire

  • Rust 8/0 thread$2.951 spool

Materials

  • Other material: Coq de Leon fibres$4.501 pack · From the recipe row "Tail"
  • Rust stripped hackle quill$11.951 saddle pack
  • Dun hen hackle$11.951 saddle pack
  • Dun hen hackle tips$11.951 saddle pack

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 14 · Materials only · 48 flies

$100.27

$2.09 a fly

Bought separately $105.55 · you save $5.28

Includes Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook · and 7 more

Every item in this kit · 8 items

Hooks & beads

  • Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook$132 × 25 · size 14

Thread & wire

  • Rust 8/0 thread$5.902 spools

Materials

  • Other material: Coq de Leon fibres$92 packs · From the recipe row "Tail"
  • Rust stripped hackle quill$23.902 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle$23.902 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle tips$23.902 saddle packs

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 14 · Materials only · 144 flies

$260.70

$1.81 a fly

Bought separately $296.25 · you save $35.55

Includes Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook · and 7 more

Every item in this kit · 8 items

Hooks & beads

  • Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook$351 × 100 + 2 × 25 · size 14

Thread & wire

  • Rust 8/0 thread$17.706 spools

Materials

  • Other material: Coq de Leon fibres$22.505 packs · From the recipe row "Tail"
  • Rust stripped hackle quill$71.706 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle$71.706 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle tips$71.706 saddle packs

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

With vise & tools

Size 14 · With vise & tools · 12 flies

$205.75

$17.15 a fly

Includes Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook · and 16 more

Every item in this kit · 17 items

Hooks & beads

  • Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook$6.501 × 25 · size 14

Thread & wire

  • Rust 8/0 thread$2.951 spool

Materials

  • Other material: Coq de Leon fibres$4.501 pack · From the recipe row "Tail"
  • Rust stripped hackle quill$11.951 saddle pack
  • Dun hen hackle$11.951 saddle pack
  • Dun hen hackle tips$11.951 saddle pack

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Tools

  • Rotary pedestal vise$791
  • Ceramic bobbin$141
  • Fine-point scissors$161
  • Whip finisher$91
  • Hackle pliers$71
  • Bodkin$51
  • Bobbin threader$41
  • Dubbing wax$41
  • Canvas tool roll$121

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 14 · With vise & tools · 48 flies

$242.77

$5.06 a fly

Bought separately $255.55 · you save $12.78

Includes Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook · and 16 more

Every item in this kit · 17 items

Hooks & beads

  • Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook$132 × 25 · size 14

Thread & wire

  • Rust 8/0 thread$5.902 spools

Materials

  • Other material: Coq de Leon fibres$92 packs · From the recipe row "Tail"
  • Rust stripped hackle quill$23.902 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle$23.902 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle tips$23.902 saddle packs

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Tools

  • Rotary pedestal vise$791
  • Ceramic bobbin$141
  • Fine-point scissors$161
  • Whip finisher$91
  • Hackle pliers$71
  • Bodkin$51
  • Bobbin threader$41
  • Dubbing wax$41
  • Canvas tool roll$121

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

Size 14 · With vise & tools · 144 flies

$392.70

$2.73 a fly

Bought separately $446.25 · you save $53.55

Includes Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook · and 16 more

Every item in this kit · 17 items

Hooks & beads

  • Daiichi 1550 wet-fly hook$351 × 100 + 2 × 25 · size 14

Thread & wire

  • Rust 8/0 thread$17.706 spools

Materials

  • Other material: Coq de Leon fibres$22.505 packs · From the recipe row "Tail"
  • Rust stripped hackle quill$71.706 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle$71.706 saddle packs
  • Dun hen hackle tips$71.706 saddle packs

Finishing

  • Head cement$5.951 bottle

Tools

  • Rotary pedestal vise$791
  • Ceramic bobbin$141
  • Fine-point scissors$161
  • Whip finisher$91
  • Hackle pliers$71
  • Bodkin$51
  • Bobbin threader$41
  • Dubbing wax$41
  • Canvas tool roll$121

Guide

  • Printed recipe and tying stepsIncluded1

The creator

An illustrated portrait for Dekasso (an illustration, not a photograph)

Dekasso

@dekasso

Wherever the truck rolls to a stop.

  • Tidewater Sundown Pale Ale — a river beer by Dekasso
  • Prairie Wildflower Portrait Trucker Hat — a trucker hat by Dekasso
  • Ember Golden Stonefly Nymph — a fly pattern by Dekasso

See everything by @dekasso

How it was made

2 iterations led here; the saved one is marked

  1. Iteration 1 of 21
  2. Iteration 2 of 22 Saved

Remixes

Remixed from

  1. Bare Woods Mahogany Dun — a fly pattern by DekassoBare Woods Mahogany Dun@dekasso · the original
  2. April Rust Mayfly Wet Flyyou are here

No remixes yet — make your own version.

Where this came from

“make the tail curve up wards and groom the initial section so its thinner”

fly pattern · made

0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.

  • wet fly
  • mayfly
  • soft hackle
  • quill body
  • rust
  • dun
  • trout
  • spring
  • freestone
  • coq de leon
  • size 14