Paul's April 2023 Bonus Fly of the Month

 Purple Haze

Hook:  Dai Riki #300 Size 14 or Dry Fly Hook of choice. 

Thread:  Purple Uni 6/0.

Tail:  Moose Hair or Grizzly & Brown Hackle Fibers.

Body:  Purple Flexi Floss, or Purple Dubbing, or Purple Thread.

Post:  Calf Tail Fibers or Poly-yarn.

Hackle:  Moose Body hair or Brown & Grizzly hackle fibers. 

Finish:  Bottom of the fly is coated with ‘Tough as Nails’. 

This fly was developed by Andy Carlson, the owner and operator of Bitterroot Anglers in Hamilton, Montana.  To tie this fly start your thread 1/3 hook shank length behind the eye.  Take a few wraps rearward and cut off the tag end of your thread.  You are now going to tie in your tail. The original pattern calls for Moose Body hair.  I like to use Brown & Grizzley hackle fibers because in many cases I’m tying the Purple Haze in smaller sizes.  Take about 8-10 fibers and tie them in for your tail.  They should be approximately a hook shank in length.  Take wraps all the way back to the start of the hook bend and then even wraps back up to the tie in point.

Next, prepare & tie in your parachute post.  Again, because I’m usually tying this fly in smaller sizes, I’m going to use Poly-yarn instead of calf tail.  Before the tie in, it should be approximately 1 hook shank in length.  Secure it on top of the hook shank with a pinch wrap.  Now wrap rearward to secure it.  With your thread form an evenly tapered body for the fly.  Now, stand up the longer end of the Post.  Create a thread dam in front of it to lift the post.  Apply some head cement to the base of your post and take a few thread wraps around the base. 

Leave your thread in front of the post.  Prepare your Grizzly and Brown Hackles.  Snip off the stems where the fibers start to become webby.  Now strip the barbules about a ¼ of an inch on each side to give you a bare stem.  Lay the hackles together and place the stems to the near side of the fly, right behind the hook eye and across the post.  Take securing wraps with your thread.  Wrap from the eye to your post, then raise the hackle to vertical and take some securing wraps around your post.  Bring your thread back down and leave it in front of the post.  You can now wrap your hackles.  You can do that in tandem or individually, clockwise around the post.  Take wraps down to the hook shank, then tie them off with your thread.  Clip off your excess hackle, then whip finish around the hook shank or the post, which ever is your preference.  Clip off your thread and errant hackle fibers and you’re done.

I like to treat all my dry flies with High N’ Dry fly flotant, but that’s all up to you.

Tightlinevideo has a great instructional video on how to tie the Purple Haze below:

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .