Last year, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions and Matt Grobert offered their versions of the standard Rusty Spinner pattern. Now Tim is back with a PFD version, which features extra flotation for fishing in broken water. The foam back also allows you to see the fly in the low light that invariably accompanies a spinnerfall. As usual, Tim offers tricks that will make you a better tier, such as using the tag end of your tying thread to splay the tails and allowng your thread to untwist to ensure a smoothly tapered body.
PFD Rusty Spinner
Hook: Standard dry-fly hook (here, a Dai-Riki 305), sizes 14-18.
Thread/Body: Rusty brown, 6/0 or 70 denier.
Tails: Mayfly Tails or microfibbets, medium dun.
Tail separator: Tag end of tying thread.
PFD: White craft foam.
Wing: White New Zealand sheep wool.
Head: Tying thread.
Adhesive: Head cement.
photo courtesy Tightline Productions