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July 2001
by Rich Johnson
McFly Egg
Notes: Second in my series on egg patterns is a style that developed while trying to come up with an alternative for working with Glo-bug yarn. McFly Foam is a unique material in that it almost looks as if it is spun, like fiberglass. Because of the unique structure of the fibers McFly Foam flares very well with a minimum of material. Combined with the tying technique that I'm trying to demonstrate with this pattern and you can create some very small egg patterns on very small hooks. In fact the egg pattern in the 20/20 Flies (Feb FOM) was a McFly Egg.
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Hook: Dai-Riki #135
Thread: 6/0, white (or color to match body)
Body: McFly Foam
Center spot: McFly Foam, or Glo-bug yarn
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1) Notice the difference in the fibers between McFly Foam (left) and Glo-bug yarn (right) Whereas Glo-bug yarn looks, and acts, like multistrand yarn; McFly Foam is a large bulk of very kinky fibers all spun together. With McFly Foam you have to strip off the diameter of material you want for each size of egg fly. Only trial and error will show you the amount of material you will want for your personal tastes and tying style.
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2) After starting the thread in the center of the hook shank, take a section of McFly Foam about an inch long and add a small amount of material in a contrasting color (usually brighter and darker) along the long axis of your foam. Assuming you are right handed, bring the material up under the thread (which is being held taut by the bobbin in the palm of your hand), use your index finger to push the material against the thread and start a fold upwards. Notice that the material being used for the color spot is in the center of the fold.
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3) Using your left hand catch both ends of the material and complete the folding process. Compress the material where the thread runs through it as much as possible with your left hand. Your bobbin hand is maintaining the thread tension throughout this step.
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4) Pinching the material and thread at the fold with your left hand place two (2) counterclockwise wraps around the thread coming off the hook, between the shank and the material. This works best if you only have about an inch of thread between the shank and material and less than two inches out of your
bobbin.
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5) Take your thread over the top of the shank and tighten the slack out of the lines while bringing the materials to the top of the hook shank. The double twist should remain under the material and actually tighten up against the top of the shank at the tie in spot. Place two wraps as tight as possible against the front of the material, and two wraps tight against the rear.
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6) Place a couple of wraps around the base of the material while pulling up slightly on the material. (This is similar to posting a parachute wing.) Put one to two more wraps in front of the material, half hitch and whip finish. Cut your thread.
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7) Cut the material while pulling up to keep it under tension. You must have sharp scissors! The cut needs to happen in one quick motion.
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8) Once cut the McFly Foam will flair out into a rough half circle. You control the diameter of the final egg by the length of material you leave between the shank and your cut. The bulk, or density, and to some extent the size of the egg will be determined by the amount of materials you started with in Step 2.
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9) Gently roll the egg (materials) between your fingers. this will put the finishing touch on creating a round egg shape. I sometimes put just a touch of penetrating cement on the bottom of the thread wraps. Avoid getting cement into the material.
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10) The finished McFly Egg. Notice that this style of tying puts the egg on top of the shank and doesn't close off the gape at all. This allows the use of a much smaller hook (I used a #14 for this demonstration) which in turn allows for a more natural drift.
Next month - The dreaded Glo-bug
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