Fly Pattern:Dunt Dee Strip Wing Fly (Early 19th Century Salmon Fly)


              Tyer's Name: Erik Simpson
              Date: November 7, 2011

    Fly Originator and History: Fly Origin and History: This fly is thought to have
    originated in the mid 19th century by Gilles for fishing the Dee River in Scotland.
    This fly was originally tied to catch the Atlantic Salmon in the fall of the year 
    and was tied  by hand before vises were invented. Harry Lamire sells a DVD where 
    he demonstrates his art of tying the Dunt Dee Fly without a vise. Harry has 
    been tying by hand since 1990 and still enjoys tying by hand. He claims that 
    with practice almost anyone can tie the Dunt Dee by hand once they finally get 
    the hang of it. The fly is now fished effectively by steelhead fisherman in 
    the Northwest. Harry Lamire has fished the Sauk and the Skagit Rivers effectively 
    in the winter with the Dunt Dee. The Dunt Dee is an effective fly for catching 
    Steelhead and I encourage members to first learn how to tie it with a vise as 
    described.


                                How the Fly is Fished
    Suggested line and leader: This depends upon the local stream, water conditions 
    and the activity of the steelhead.
    Depth: It should be fished as a wet fly where there is some current and the 
    steelhead are present.
    Suggested retrieve:  No special retrieve is suggested. You normally have to 
    find out what works on any given day.
    Comments: This fly fishes well when there is some current present and the hackle 
    fibers are normally moving. Generally the fly is fished by casting across and 
    downstream and allowed to sweep across current.


                                Fly Material
    Hook size /length / make:  2051 Alec Jackson, Size 1-1/2.
    Thread: size / color / type: White UNI-Thread 8/0.
    Tag: Fine silver tinsel and light blue silk.
    Weighted y/n / size: No.
    Tail: A yellow ring neck pheasant feather (washed) from just below the crest 
    and a teal feather topping with a V cut.
    Body: Yellow, orange and claret seal fur substitute in equal portions.  
    Rib: Silver oval tinsel.
    Hackle: Large pheasant rump hackle tied over orange and claret seal fur. 
    Throat: Pin tail teal feature (large) or equivalent.
    Wings: Two strips of brown turkey.
    Eyes: Jungle Cock 2 medium-sized.
    Glue: "Hard As Nails" or the equivalent. 
    Wax: Premium Dubbing Wax or equivalent


                                Tying Steps

     Prepare the hook: Tie on the tag, tail and cover feather.  

    1. Wax the shank of the hook.  At the starting point just behind the return eye, 
    tie on a white thread base from the starting point to a point above the barb tip. 

    2. Tie on a thin silver tinsel tag and wrap down the hook to a point above the 
    back of the barb. Then Wrap forward to the tip of the barb and tie off with 
    4-thread wraps. 

    3. Tie on a tag of blue silk and wrap over the tinsel leaving  two wraps of 
    the silver twist exposed. 

    4. Using the white thread, tie on a washed golden pheasant neck feather (washed)
    with a low profile for color. Then partially tie on a teal feather cover with 
    a V-cut. Pull the feather forward to close the V gap and finish tying off with 
    4-thread wraps.  

    Body: Tie a on tinsel rib, body hackle and seal fur.

 

    5. Tie on an oval silver tinsel just behind the barb tip.
 
    6. Wax thread and attach a small proportion of yellow seal fur. Make thread 
    loop and use a weighted  hackle pliers to twist on a small portion seal fur. 
    Wrap the seal fur forward 1/3 the shank length. Trim excess fur and and make 
    4-thread wraps to tie off.

    7. Tie on a large pheasant rump feather by the tip at the 7:00 position. Wax 
    the thread and attach a small portion of orange seal fur. Make thread loop and 
    use weighted hackle pliers to twist on the seal fur. Wrap on the seal fur forward 
    2/3 the shank length. Trim excess fur and make 4-thread wraps.

    8. Wax the thread and attach a small proportion of the claret Seal fur. Make a 
    thread loop and use a weighted hackle pliers to twist on the Seal fur.  Then 
    wrap the Seal fur forward to the starting point. Trim excess fur and make thread wraps. 

    9. Wrap the tinsel forward and make 5-6 wraps. Tie off with 4-thread wraps, 
    cut tinsel and glue.  Palmer the pheasant rump feather forward to the starting 
    point. Tie off with 4-thread wraps, cut excess feather and glue.

    10. Lightly tease out the hackle fibers and seal fur with a bodkin. Pull down all
    the fly materials below the hook shank before tying on the turkey wings. Then 
    with tweezers place any stray materials back into the fly.

    Thorax: Tie on throat hackle, wings and jungle cock eyes.

 

    11. Tie on teal throat hackle and make 2 hackle wraps. Make 4-thread wraps 
    forward and tie off with 4 wrap. Cut excess and glue.

    12. Tie on each brown turkey wing separately the length of the body. Use only 
    half the thorax space for each wing. Make 4-thread wraps, and tie off with a 
    double half hitch. Cut excess and glue.

    13. Tie on two short jungle cock eyes each pointing lightly down. Make 4-thread 
    wraps, and tie off with a half hitch. Cut excess and glue.

    Head: Tie on the thread head. 

    14. Tie on a white thread head; make two triple half hitches to tie off and cut thread.  

    15.  Blacken thread head with a permanent magic marker, let dry and glue.  

                    Erik Simpson, 11.08.11.