Tying realistic flies has become a challenge I welcome and enjoy. I'm not claiming to be an expert at tying "traditional" flies, I still have a long way to go, but in my opinion traditional flies don't really have to be beautiful, they only have to accomplish their motive - to catch fish! Unlike traditional fishing flies, realistics flies catch few, if any fish, instead many fishermen! Often I sit at my vise and think about trying something new, unusual, for my fishable patterns or for my realistic ones. I was never afraid to try something new, experimenting new techniques and new materials, each fly being one step closer to the shape and characteristics of the real insect, but never really tying something identical to the real one. Ever fly I tie I can find something that can be improved, perhaps new material that can be used. Unlike traditional flies, that are constructed using "strict" rules, for realistic tying the limit is only your imagination, inventiveness and willingness to experiment.

Quiz: Is real or artificial? Read the answer bellow.

Ephemera vulgata - step by step

	1. To start I chose a Tiemco 200R hook, size 12. I heat the hook with a lighter and bent it. This typically isn't recommended for fishing hooks because the heat weakens the hook, but this fly isn't destined for fishing, so we don't really need the hook to be so strong.
	2. Cut a piece of wire about 2-2,5 times the length of the hook shank, even though the body will be only 1,5-2 times (thorax). The extra piece will be used to secure the wire on the hook shank. After tightly wrapping the wire you can add a drop of super-glue to make sure it won't twist or loosen - this can be bothersome during the construction of the body. The material chosen should be something soft, like stainless steel, copper wire, aluminum, etc.
	3. Begin building the underbody. I'm using amber micro chenille, but I won't wrap it around the body as most people do. Lay a piece of chenille on each side and secure it to the wire shank with thread wraps. Then add a piece on top and another on the bottom, and repeat the process. Now it's time to attach the tails, made from thin quills. Continue forming the body, being careful not to make it too thick. A thin, slender body is ideal.
	4. Now to really start tying the body. Secure a 6-8mm wide piece of raffia on the top side of the abdomen, extended towards the tail. Apply a small amount of ginger dubbing, pull the raffia towards the thorax and secure it with thread. After being secured, pull it towards the tail, securing it again with thread overlapping the previous ones. Repeat the process and build the rest of the segments.
	5. For imitating the real insect the first segment should be very short, the next 3 segments wider, then again the segments getting tighter. For this particular fly I couldn't really represent the segmentation correctly and there is ample room for improvement.
	6. This is how the partially finalized body should look. 9 to 10 segments clearly bordered and encircled with a slight taper.
	7. For covering the lower part of the abdomen tie a 4-5mm wide strip of raffia, securing it to the body with a tight thread loop. Make a regular loop, passing the end of the thread 4 or 5 times through the loop, tighten it the cut the excess. Repeat this process at every segment and varnish, so the knots won't loosen. This is a little complicated, and it can be done easier, by wrapping the lower strip at the same time was the upper one. I'll keep that in mind for my next ties…
	8. Finish building the body, apply some varnish, and let it dry. The body and shape can easily be adjusted because the wire base is soft. After the varnish dries apply some color with permanent markers.
	9. Let's get to the wings. Draw (or print) on a piece of paper the wings, making sure we have the right shape and proportion comparing to the body. Put a piece of adhesive clear tape on the paper, with the sticky side up.
	10. Start forming the wing by carefully applying feather fibers according to the drawing on the paper beneath. Use pheasant for the thicker ones and webby fibers from chicken feather for the rest. This operation requires considerable time but the results worth the effort.
	11. After finishing applying the fibers put another piece of tape on top and carefully press.
	12. Cut the wing to shape and optionally varnish can be applied.
	13. Repeat the process and build another wing exactly the same way. Use the same method to produce another pair of smaller wings.
	14. Begin the legs construction using a piece of monofilament line. Heat tips of hackle pliers for 2 seconds, using a lighter, and bent the mono to the desired shape. At the upper part of the leg add a piece of quill and tie it together with the mono, using 17/0 thread. Whip finish and cut off the excess. Apply some varnish, and after it dries, paint the legs with markers.
	15. Secure 4 strips of raffia at the base of the abdomen, one on each side, one on top and one on the bottom. This will be used for covering the thread and chenille when finishing building the thorax. You can use the same color as the abdomen, and paint it later, or use darker raffia to match the color of the thorax.
	16. Tie in the first pair of legs and the first pair of wings (the small ones). Secure them with thread and build a little underbody with chenille.
	17. Secure the second pair of legs in the desired position and then tie in the wings. Tie them in just as you did with the previous ones. Continue building the thorax with chenille and cut off the excess. Pull the raffia strips towards the head and secure.
	18. The third pair of legs is tied in, and using a narrow raffia strip attach the eyes. These are made from a thick piece of mono, burned at the ends. Adjust the shape of the legs using heated hackle pliers, add the finishing touches, including some color and some varnish… and you have a completed fly.

A new fly is born!