Here is a simple egg pattern variation that I came up with several years ago. The dubbing loop egg is a simple pattern to tie that retains all the necessary features of a trout egg. The fly looks a little ratty when dry, but once dunked in the water it obtains a slimy, transparent look that is a dead-on ringer for the real thing.
At the right time of year, eggs can be the best pattern available to you. Sometimes they are so effective that it becomes unsporting to fish them!
Regardless of how you feel about fishing eggs, if you decide to carry a few, and trust me, few anglers don’t, this is a good one to try.
Materials Needed:
Hook: TMC 2488H #12-16
Thread: UTC 70 Denier Hot Orange, or to match egg yarn
Body: Egg Yarn
Step 1
Attach thread and build a base on the front half of the shank.
Step 2
Bring thread to the middle of the base and form a loop around the legs of the dubbing whirl. The loop doesnt need to be more than about three inches long. Bring the thread back up to the hook shank and make a couple wraps to secure the loop. Bring the thread forward to the index point.
Step 3
Take a strand of egg yarn from the package and spread the fibers apart. Sometimes there are a few strands encircling the yarn to hold the ply together; remove them by stripping them away toward the end of the yarn. You are trying to flatten the strand of egg yarn. Cut the end of the flattened strand so it is square.
Step 4
Cut a strip from the cut end that is about as wide as the hook shank/gap.
Step 5
Place the strip of egg yarn between the thread strands forming the dubbing loop. Be sure that the yarn strip is centered in the middle of the loop with the thread running directly down the center of the yarn on either side (front and back).
Step 6
Pinch the loop immediately below the yarn and spin the dubbing whirl to start the twisting process.
Step 7
Once the thread is tightly twisted below your fingertips, release the pinch and let the twist work its way up into the yarn, forming an egg yarn chenille. You may need to spin the dubbing whirl a bit more to really secure the yarn in the loop. Be careful not to overdo the twist though as too much will break the thread.
Step 8
Using the dubbing whirl as a handle, wrap the egg yarn chenille around the hook with the first turn at the front end of the thread base.
Step 9
Come around the hook and back up on the near side behind the first turn of yarn chenille.
Step 10
Cross the third turn of yarn chenille over the top of, and between, the first two turns, forming a ball-shaped egg.
Step 11
You should now be out of yarn in the loop and have only bare thread left at the index point.
Step 12
Tie off the loop with the tying thread at the rear edge of the index point.
Step 13
Clip the thread loop and build a smooth thread head. Whip finish and clip.
Step 14
Finished fly, dry.
Step 15
Finished fly, wet.
