Bullethead Skwala

By Adapted from several variations found on YouTube. I don't know if there is an original pattern., submitted by Steve Vaughn.

Description

Looking for a Skwala stonefly pattern on YouTube and found several bullethead style versions. Adapted this one to match the materials I had on hand.

Tying Process

1. Apply a thread base (size 8-10 hooks). 2. Round the end of a 1/8" strip of black foam and tie in at the bend with the rounded end extending over the bend for an egg sack. Wrap over the foam up to the 75% mark (index point) on the shank and trim the excess. 3. Return the thread to the foam tie in point and tie in two brown goose biot tips, one on either side of the egg sack and extending just slightly beyond it. 4. Using either olive Larva Lace or dry fly dubbing, make a body up to the index point. 5. Tie in an under wing of light grey poly-wing material that extends slightly beyond the egg sack. 6. Tie in a clump of natural elk hair, just behind the eye and in reverse style (tips extending in front of the eye). The hair extending beyond the eye should be the distance from just shy of the underwing to the back of the eye. You want the hair to be evenly distributed around the hook shank (above and below). Pressing down firmly on the wraps with your thumb helps. 7. Take your thread back to the index point. Using an empty Bic pen body or half-hitch tool, push the hair tips back over the fly so it is spread evenly around the hook shank. Holding the hair tightly with your material hand (left hand for right hand tiers), wrap the thread around the hair making the bullet head. Trim the tips of the hair under the shank just a bit behind the thread wraps. 8. Tie in brown silly legs on either side behind the head and trim the back legs even with the underwing and the front a little shorter. 9. (Optional) A small piece of brightly colored foam tied in on top with a couple more wraps for a visible hot spot. 10. Secure the thread with either a whip finish or apply Zap-a-Gap to a 1/2 inch of thread, make a few tight wraps and cut off. You can also do both, that is, do a whip finish after applying the Zap.

Materials

• Body: Superfine Dubbing
• Head: Natural elk hair
• Other: Foam hotspot
• Other: Silly Legs
• Tag/Tail: Black foam
• Tag/Tail: Goose Biots
• Thread: UTC 140
• Wing: Natural elk hair
• Wing: Poly-wing material

Hooks

• 2X long dry fly hook

Target species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Westslope Cutthroat

Fly types: Dry Fly