Tying a Comparadun

[afishinado]

Below is a really good video showing how to tie a comparadun. The pattern in the video shows tying a sulphur; a pattern every PA FFer needs to tie.

I tie a lot of comparadun patterns because it fools a lot of fish, it floats well, and it's not that hard to tie with a little practice. Also, no need to buy expensive dry fly hackle, but buying the proper hair is the key to a good tie. Stick to hair labeled as comparadun hair.

The first video gives a brief look at what hair to buy and the second video is the tutorial on tying the pattern.

 

[linwood]

Thanks Afish.

 

[Tigereye]

I am a huge fan of Comparaduns. Especially the slate drake/isonichia. The tutorial in the OP is the standard and classic way to tie the fly. However, I for one, cannot get the wing to stay upright over time. A few casts or a few fish or a few weeks in the box, and the wings end up over the hook eye. It doesnt seem to affect the performance of the fly but irks the daylights out of me.

In search of a solution i combed the internet looking at what seemed every video of someone tying the comparadun. This one solved the problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdXodH25inY

This post is not to knock the original video. It is by all means a great way to tie the fly.

For those of us that are challenged tying acceptable comparadun wings, the 2nd is an alternative.

 

[afishinado]

Tigereye wrote:
I am a huge fan of Comparaduns. Especially the slate drake/isonichia. The tutorial in the OP is the standard and classic way to tie the fly. However, I for one, cannot get the wing to stay upright over time. A few casts or a few fish or a few weeks in the box, and the wings end up over the hook eye. It doesnt seem to affect the performance of the fly but irks the daylights out of me.

In search of a solution i combed the internet looking at what seemed every video of someone tying the comparadun. This one solved the problem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdXodH25inY

This post is not to knock the original video. It is by all means a great way to tie the fly.

For those of us that are challenged tying acceptable comparadun wings, the 2nd is an alternative.

Good video TE.

I actually tie my comparaduns both ways. The first video with the tips forward works well for larger patterns because tying over the shank and trimming the hair creates bulk, which is a problem for tying smaller flies.

The second video shows a tips rearward tie-in for the hair wing. This method leaves a clean shank to the rear of the wing allowing the you to tie a thinner and sleeker body needed for smaller flies, like size 18 and smaller (for my tying anyway).

Good stuff!!

 

[Tigereye]

surfing today and found this. I really like KG, the guy is a wealth of practical knowledge. Here is a way to tie comparaduns in the smaller sizes without bulking up the body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8JEehNCbm0

 

[moon1284]

I tie and fish a ton of comparaduns from size 8 to 22. I just watched about 6 videos on YouTube trying to find one that shows the way I tie them but I couldnt. Almost all of the videos use too much deer hair imo. I also think it is easiest to tie in the wing, build a ramp behind the wing, put a thread dam in front of the wing, then use tail material to help with the tapered body, I usually use moose hair. Once you get good you can use different materials for the body, Turkey biot, pheasant tail, etc.

 

[Steeltrap]

The last few days I've been tying up these in size 16 for now and in several different colors.

My only contribution to this thread is that I find tying in the tails using coq de leon is much faster than using microfibits.

 

[afishinado]

Steeltrap wrote:
The last few days I've been tying up these in size 16 for now and in several different colors.

My only contribution to this thread is that I find tying in the tails using coq de leon is much faster than using microfibits.

Just FYI, as far as tying in a tail on a compradun. Tying in some antron or zlon fibers to represent the nymph shuck works well and is easy to do. It's called a sparkle dun. I often tie the same pattern with tails as well as with a shuck. At times it makes a big difference to the trout.

 

[Steeltrap]

Just FYI, as far as tying in a tail on a compradun. Tying in some antron or zlon fibers to represent the nymph shuck works well and is easy to do. It's called a sparkle dun. I often tie the same pattern with tails as well as with a shuck. At times it makes a big difference to the trout.

Yes thank you. Well......I've tied up some of those and I thought they were called emergers with the shuck as opposed to a tail.

 

[riverwhy]

What thread size do you all use? I was surprised how thick the thread was on the size 18 mahogany. It left a rather large head composed of thread which left exposed rather than trying to cover with dubbing.

 

[DGC]

I use 8/0 UNI mostly, sometimes 6/0. If you get breakage when tying in the wing using finer threads, just use a heavier thread to bind down the wing, throw on a quick whip or a few half hitches, cut off that thread, then tie back on with a finer thread to finish. This remains the best discussion of tying these that I am aware of

Chris Mathews Sparkle Dun

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Great video, thanks for posting that. I've been tying these for a long time, but I learned a tip watching him tie.

 

[Arminacast]

Just want to say thanks for all the posts on tying a comparadun. I tied a few using the Kelly Gallup recipe and caught a nice brown with one yesterday. Don't know if the photo came through, I still can't figure out how to post photos.



Well I guess not.

 

[Arminacast]

 

[Arminacast]

https://imgur.com/a/5O0

h7VH

Oh well, still trying.