Heathen

Second Midge Swap 2002
Swapmaster: Jim Collins from Missouri, USA

Heathen tied by Mark Klemick from Maryland, USA
	Tying instructions Preparations: The foam posts were made using a leather hole-punch tool to cut cylinders from a sheet of white closed-cell foam. The diameter of the punch used for this pattern on size 20 hooks was about 2 mm. Prepare short sleeves of larva lace long enough to reach from the hook bend up to where the post is tied in. For this hook, the pieces are cut about 4-mm long. Tying steps: Secure the flash material just behind the eye. Throughly cover the hook by wrapping the flash back to the bend and forward again, then tie off at the front. Tie on a foam plug so it points backwards, do a few half-hitches and cut the thread off. Release the hook from the vise and slip a piece of larva lace over the flash. Push it along until it just reaches the post. Put the hook back in the vise. Tie your thread on again at the hook bend, apply numerous wraps to build a tapered ramp up to the lace. Secure the back edge of the lace with about three wraps, then rib the lace by spiraling the thread forward tightly. Pull as hard as you dare to get good segmentation. Once the lace is ribbed put in a half-hitch or two behind the foam post and then dub your thread with the squirrel mix. Figure-eight the dub in front of and behind the post a few times, then whip-finish. Apply a microdot of cement to the head and start all over again. Notes: This pattern was developed by Phil Camera, who also is responsible for Larva Lace. It was mentioned in a Fly Tyer article about him in the last year or so.
Pattern Hook DaiRiki 135 - #20 Thread UNI 8/0 Black Underbody Green Krystal Flash Overbody Pale tan Larva Lace Dubbing Spiky brown squirrel mix Post White closed-cell foam