Damsel in Distress

Damsel in Distress recipe

About this fly

I developed this pattern after watching an absolute tank of a Rainbow take a damsel right in front of where I had been fishing for the better part of an hour without a bite. Instructions: For the tail: cut a piece of 2mm craft foam to be 2mm wide by about an inch and a half long. Use a lighter to seal one end of the tail, being careful not to burn or distort this thin piece of foam. This is optional but I like the way it looks. Cut the body partially in half lengthwise, being careful to keep the cut as close to the middle of the foam as possible, and leaving about 2mm of one end (the sealed end, see additional pictures) connected. Do not use serrated scissors for this. For the wing case/parachute post): cut a second piece of 2mm craft foam to be about 4mm wide by about an inch and a half long (I used the hook gap of a #12 Daiichi 1130 to measure the width). Place a thin needle in your vise to build the extended body on. Mount the partially cut body piece with the needle point embedded into the uncut end, with the cut pieces to either side of the needle. Leaving a long tail on your thread (3 inches plus), work your thread between one side of the foam body and the needle, tying a band around a small section at the sealed end to create the first body segment. I use 4-5 wraps of thread for each segment. Carefully work the thread back between one side of the body and the needle, being careful not to cross over any of the foam diagonally when doing so. Wrap the thread around just t

What the Damsel in Distress imitates

• Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
• Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
• Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
• Damsel Mudeye
• Damselfly (adult) Zygoptera
• Damselfly adult (adult)
• Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
• NZ Damsel

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