This fly’s name comes from the surgical tape used to make the wing. Transpore is a waterproof breathable tape used to secure wound dressings and IV lines to skin in operating theatres. It has a textured perforated surface that can be coloured with marker pens and makes nice imitation wings when sandwiched with other materials.
The wing of the Surgical Stone is a sandwich made from Transpore, strands of crystal flash and food wrapping film. Start by laying out some strands of flash on a smooth surface and then press a length of tape down on top of them. Now tear off a section of food wrap and smooth it out flat, peel up the tape and flash and press down on the wrapping film making the wing sandwich with flash in the middle. Colour the Transpore to taste and you’re ready to cut out some wings.
Transpore is inherently buoyant, in fact you can use it to make floating detached bodies for dry flies by rolling it up, so the wing on the Surgical Stone actually enhances its flotation.
Wing materials
Nick Thomas
Surgical Stonefly
Nick Thomas
Surgical Stonefly
Nick Thomas
Surgical Stonefly
This fly’s name comes from the surgical tape used to make the wing.
Dry fly
Nick Thomas
Hook
Sprite S2200 #12
Thread
12/0 black
Cerci
2mm silicone foam
Abdomen
2mm silicone foam and darning yarn
Wing
Transpore, crystal flash & food wrapping film
Thorax
Stripped 6mm black organza ribbon
Wing case & head
2mm silicone foam
Run on the thread and take down to the bend in touching turns.
Catch in a length of darning yarn and tie down up the shank.
Cut a V shaped notch in the end of a length of foam and tie on top of the hook in with the notch hanging over the bend.
Wind the yarn over the foam in open turns keeping the foam on top of the hook.
Tie in the preprepared wing.
Tie in two lengths of foam hanging back over the abdomen.
Trim off the edge from a piece of organza ribbon, strip out the long fibres and tie in.
Wind the stripped ribbon forwards in touching turns, tie in and remove the waste.
Stroke the organza fibres down the sides of the thorax, fold the foam forwards and tie in.
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