Fly of the Month Bob Ireton brings together his experience in fly fishing, aquatic entomology, and knowledge of fly tying techniques and materials, to design and tie durable and effective flies.

   Volume 5,  Issue 8                                                               August 2004

MADAME X
Fly, Text, and Photography by Bob Ireton

This pattern resembles a hopper or stonefly, but also can be a searching fly. It is especially effective anytime hoppers are on the water. It lands with a splat, floats with the body in the surface film, and we know how rubber legs attract fish! Use the MADAME X for trout, bass, and pan fish.

MATERIALS

Hook – TMC 5263, Dai-Riki 710, Daiichi 1720, Orvis 1526, Mustad9672, or any hook with a 3xl shank.
Size – 6-12.
Thread – Kevlar, or any strong thread, color to match materials.
Tail – Natural deer body hair.
Body – Yellow poly yarn.
Head – Natural deer body hair, tied ‘bullet head’ style.
Wing – Tips of the natural deer body hair tied reverse style from the head material.
Legs – White round rubber legs.

MATERIALS

Hook – Daiichi 1720, Mustad 9672, Dai-Riki 710, Orvis 1520, or equivalent streamer hook.
Size – 10-12.
Thread – 6/0 Chartreuse.
Weight – Lead wire.
Body – Fluorescent chartreuse chenille.

TYING STEPS -  click on pictures for larger view

1 – Place the hook properly in the vice. For this fly, I am using a size 10 TMC 5263. Flatten or roll over the barb, if desired. Recommended on hooks with large barbs. Attach the working thread behind the hook eye, and lay on a thread base using close, tight wraps. Stop above the barb, and tie a half hitch.
2 – Snip a small clump of the deer body hair. Body hair is somewhat hollow, so it will float. Hair from the tail is solid, and will sink. Hold the hair by the mid section, and using a small comb or bodkin point, brush or pick out the underfur. This will enable the hair to be stacked successfully.
3 – Drop the deer hair ‘tip first’ into the stacker. Now tap the base of the stacker several times on a flat, solid surface.
4 – Turn the stacker to the horizontal position. Carefully remove the tube from the base. The tips of the hair should be fairly even. Grasp the hair by the tips, and carefully remove the hair from the stacker.
5 – Holding the deer hair by the tips, position the hair on top of the hook shank, with the tips extending rearward past the bend approximately half the length of the hook shank. Anywhere between one fourth to one half should work for the tail length. At the location above the barb, secure the hair with a couple of soft loops. When the tail looks positioned where you want it, add several more loops as you work the thread forward. Each wrap of thread should be a little tighter than the last. Snip off the butts of the deer hair, and finish covering the butts of the deer hair with the thread. Tie a half hitch.
6 – Attach the poly yarn several hook eye spaces back, and secure rearward, stopping above the barb. Starting the yarn near the eye helps to build up the body. Bring the working thread forward to the yarn tie in point, and tie a half hitch.
7 – Twist the yarn into a tight rope, and palmer it forward in close loops to form a body that has the illusion of being somewhat segmented. Secure the body before you release the tension on the yarn. Snip off the unused yarn, and after covering the ends of the yarn with thread wraps, tie a half hitch.
8 – Snip a larger, longer bunch of the deer body hair for the wing/head. As with the tail, remove the underfur, and stack the hair so the tips are even. Measure the hair from the tips, and make it 1.5 times the length of the entire hook. Snip off the butts at this length. Position the hair on top of the hook shank with the tips extending forward of the hook eye. With the butts of the deer hair against the body, secure the hair with several wraps of thread. This step is harder than it looks. Just be careful and patient! When you have it looking right, tie a couple of half hitches
9 – Form the deer hair into a compact bundle with your fingers, and lift it up and over the hook eye and over the back of the fly. Make sure the hook eye is exposed. Do any adjustments needed, and form the head by securing the hair with several loops of thread. The head should be at least to where the body begins. Tie a couple of half hitches. Cut two pieces of rubber legs about twice the hook shank length. Secure one on each side so the rear leg is approximately the length of the wing. Tie a half hitch, then a whip finish . Snip off the working thread. Put a coat of head cement on the thread and the head.
10 – Looking at the fly from above, we see where the X in the name comes from.

Copyright © 1998 - thisyear The Buckeye United Fly Fishers, Inc. Cincinnati, OH 45242