BWO Sparkle Dun
Craig Mathews and John Juracek's Sparkle Dun series revolutionized selective-fish fishing. A trailing shuck of Antron mimics the nymphal casing that clings to the adult as it struggles to fully emerge — a critical trigger when fish are keying on cripples. Fish it in the film on slow glides during BWO hatches, which peak in late fall and early spring.
- Type
- dry fly (Mayfly)
- Hook sizes
- #18–22
- Target species
- trout
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Best seasons
- spring, fall
Materials
- hook: Dry fly hook #18–22
- thread: Olive 8/0
- tail: Olive or brown Antron yarn, sparse (trailing shuck)
- body: Olive-brown dubbing
- wing: Coastal deer hair, fanned forward (no-hackle style)
Tying steps
- Mount hook and tie in a short sparse bunch of brown or amber Antron yarn as a trailing shuck at the bend.
- Dub a slim olive-brown body from above the shuck forward to the 2/3 mark.
- Cut a small bunch of coastal deer hair; clean underfur and align tips in a stacker.
- Measure the deer hair so tips extend to the hook bend; tie in at the 2/3 mark.
- Fan the deer hair into a 180-degree semicircle using a post wrap at the base.
- Lift the butts upright and wrap tightly at the base to lock the wing in position.
- Trim the deer hair butts at a taper and use to form a small smooth head.
- Whip finish and apply a drop of UV resin to the wing base to lock it permanently.