Little Gray May

Tying instructions for "Little Gray May"

The Recipe

Hook:   #14 thru 20 (Tiemco 3761 , Dai-Riki 070 , Mustad 3906B & AC3906B and Daiichi 1560)
Thread: 8/0 Black (I use 8/0 thread for most of my fly tying , but 6/0 & 3/0 thread may be used)
Weight: Optional (Lead wire , about the same diameter as the hook shank, thorax area only)
Tail:   Moose body hair
Rib:    Fine gold wire
Body:   Gray dubbing (natural furs or synthetics are ok to use) Wingcase: Moose body hair
Thorax: Gray dubbing (same as body)
Legs:   Moose body hair
Head:   Black thread

Tying Instructions

1. Attach the hook into your vice and tie in black thread. Advance thread to about the mid point of the hook shank between the eye and hook bend.
1a. Optional : Weight the thorax area using lead wire. X wrap the lead wire with thread and cement.
2. Select about 20-25 moose body hairs and cut from the skin. Weed out all the under fuzz and shorter hairs. Stack the remaining hairs (about 15 of them) in a hair stacker.
3. Remove hair from the stacker and measure for length. The length of the tail should be as long as the hook shank(measured from behind the eye to the beginning of the hook bend). Tie in tail fibers at the mid point of the hook with a few snug wraps. DO NOT trim off the butt ends of the moose hair. These will later be used for the wing case.
4. On the far side of the hook , tie in the fine gold wire. Lift these materials slightly and advance the thread to the bend of the hook. Lifting the materials will keep them on the top side of the hook shank.
5. With the tail fibers and rib in position at the beginning of the hook bend , you can now decide if the tail is too full. If you want a sparse tail , cut out a few fibers now or you can leave it as it is for a fuller tail. It's your choice.
6. Dub the thread with your favorite gray dubbing. Advance the dubbed thread to the mid point of the hook. (The length of the dubbed body should be from the beginning of the hook bend to the tie in point of the tail at the mid point of the hook shank). Lift the butt ends of the moose hair perpendicular to the hook shank and wrap in front of the hair with one turn of dubbed thread. This wrap of dubbed thread will help stand up the moose hair.
7. Wrap the fine gold ribbing wire in equally spaced turns to a point in front of the moose hair. Tie off the wire and cut off the excess.
8. Dub the thread with your favorite gray dubbing and wrap a rotund thorax to the eye of the hook. Make sure to leave room behind the eye of the hook.
9. Pull the moose hair forward to form the wingcase and tie off in front of the thorax. DO NOT cut off the butt ends of the moose hair. Make several wraps of thread to secure the wingcase.
10. Take four hairs from the far side of the hook shank and fold back toward the tail and wrap down with thread. Take four hairs from the near side of the hook and fold back toward the tail and wrap down with thread. NOW you can cut off the butt ends of the moose hairs that extend over the eye of the hook.
11. Build a neat little head with the black thread , whip finish and cement the head. Cut off thread.
12. Trim the legs to the desired length.

The "Little Gray May" is one of my favorite patterns and was originated by Andre Puyans of California. It can be tied in various colors and with various materials.

Reference: WesternTrout Fly TYing Manual Vol II by Jack Dennis (ISBN 0-937-556-00-9)

normand e frechette (nfrchtte@q.continuum.net)