Jailbird

This fly pattern which fished as a nymph is an emerger.   It was developed by Marla Blair who guides on the rivers of Massachusetts and Connecticut.  

• Hook:                    Daiich Model 1130 scud hook, sizes 16 to 20                   
• Thread:                 red 6/0 for all hook sizes (Uni-thread   preferred)
• Wing Case:           a narrow strip of white foam (closed cell foam)
• Body:                    ultra-fine blue winged olive dubbing.  (Hairline brand
•                                 preferred)                              
• Rib:                       the tying thread
• Thorax:                 same as the body                  

This pattern is quite simple but has a few special instructions.

Tie on the thread and wrap the length of the hook, down to middle of curve.  3/4 of the way up, tie on the foam strip by the tip with the long part extending backward.  Bring foam forward and tie down behind the hook-eye, then bring foam back to where you originally tied foam down.  Tie it down and cut away the balance of foam (this will re-enforce the "bubble," so it won't pop up when a fish strikes). 

Next, start behind eye of hook and in front of foam head, and very thinly dub the thread.  Then dub down going around foam head in a figure-8 to cover the under-side of hook beneath the foam.  Then continue down the curve of hook creating a fine tapered body.  Now with the thread rib back up the body and tie off at head.

Marla fishes this fly under an indicator, and rigs it with two split shot, the first 4 inches above the fly and the second 4 inches beyond that.  In Dick Talleur's book, "Inside Fly Tying," he commented that under a size 16 this fly ought to be called "jail bait."