Video: How to Tie a Sulphur Comparadun

The original Comparadun was created in the 1960s by famed tier and angler Al Caucci. Anglers were introduced to the pattern in the 1973 book Comparahatch, which Caucci wrote with Bob Nastasi. Ever since, the low-riding mayfly imitation has been a staple in fly fishers’ boxes.

Although the fly looks quite simple, tying it can be frustrating, as getting the tails and wings right take a bit of doing. In the latest video from Tightline Productions, Tim Flagler walks you through his process for creating a Sulfur Comparadun, and he seems to have figured out the best ways to perform each step. It all starts with choosing the right deer hair, and his method for ensuring that the tails stay in position is ingenious.

Sulfur Comparadun
Hook: Standard dry-fly hook (here a Lightning Strike DF1), sizes 12-20.
Thread: Yellow 8/0 or 70-denier.
Wing: Bleached deer-hair, short/fine, cleaned and stacked.
Tails: Medium dun Mayfly Tails or microfibbets.
Adhesive: UV-cure resin.
Abdomen: Hendrickson-pink turkey biot.
Abdomen: Pale yellow Superfine Dubbing.
Thorax:  Pale yellow Superfine Dubbing.
Head: Tying thread.
Tools: Hair stacker, dubbing wax, bodkin.
Note: See Tim’s video on choosing the proper deer-hair for Compadun here.

4 thoughts on “Video: How to Tie a Sulphur Comparadun”

  1. For the fly fishing history buffs this is said to be a variation on the haystack by Fran Betters from the 1940-50. I personally call them haystacks since im from the Adirondacks.

  2. Tim Flagler produces some of the absolute best fly tying instructional videos available. I’m an experienced fly tier who spent years struggling to produce Comparaduns with proper wings and bodies that rivaled Lizzo’s.
    The absolute game changer technique came from Charlie Craven, another master fly tier and teacher. The key is tying the Comparadun wing on top of a previously dubbed body and purposefully leaving the deer hair butts trimmed but uncovered. Charlie’s videos are superb but a little extra challenging because he ties left handed. Nonetheless, check it out and you will be be pleasantly surprised at how much easier Comparadun tying will become.

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