A very lifelike foam wasp
Dmitri Tseliaritski
Terrestrial
A little difficult
- Start by making the abdomen. Glue together yellow and black craft foam to create a 1-1.5 centimeter or 1/2 inch stack. Cut this into striped rods of about 0.5 x 0.5 centimeters or about 0.2 x 0.2 inches. One rod will form the base for one wasp abdomen.
- Start the thread in the front of the hook.
- Tie in two black bristles pointing forward, forming the antennae. Just leave them sticking out parallel in the front. Trim off surplus.
- Cut a narrow (0.5 cm/ 0.2”) strip of yellow foam. Bend back and glue one end.
- Stick the hook through the foam in the center of the bent piece and slide to the front
- Glue the foam and press it over the bases of the antennae.
- Take the striped foam rod and trim to a tapered shape using a pair of sharp scissors.
- Tie in the abdomen leaving a bit of space behind the front foam.
- Mark the yellow part with a warm yellow marker if needed.
- Cover the abdomen with a thin layer of LCR and cure.
- Tin in the hind and front legs in one go, one set on each side.
- Cover the front lags with thread, pressing them forward to behind the head foam.
- Tie in middle legs as one bristle under the hook.
- Varnish the central part of thread over the legs. This will be visible on the finished fly.
- Bend back the head foam strip to form the top of the head and tie down.
- Cover foam with thread to the middle set of legs.
- Dub lightly over the tied down foam.
- Bend the foam back forward to right behind the head and tie down.
- Trim off surplus foam.
- Trim the head to a pointed, tapered shape using sharp scissors.
- Use the yellow marker to color the head foam if needed.
- Pick two identical, shiny rooster neck feathers.
- Strip off the base barbs and tie them in flat, pointing backwards right behind the head.
- Trim the feather butts, cover the tie in spot with some dubbing, whip finish and trim thread.
- Mark the eyes with a black marker and cover with LCR.
- Bend legs and antennae using heated tweezers. Trim to length. Mark the tips of the legs black.
brown trout
chub
| Hook | Kamasan B100 #12 |
| Thread | UNI, black, 8/0 |
| Antennae | black broom bristles |
| Head | yellow foam strip |
| Abdomen | sandwiched foam, covered with a thin layer of LCR |
| Legs | yellow broom bristles, tips colored black |
| Wings | chestnut rooster hackle tips |
| Thorax | yellow foam, a little black dubbing |
| Eyes | colored black, covered and built up with LCR |
| Markers | you will need warm yellow and black markers as well as varnish and LCR |
