If you look at the original fly that Dan Ditzer tied, the Mylar Jelly Belly, you know that I had some issues tying this fly and added some metallic cord to beef up the body. I thought about using a small piece of foam also to give the body some shape. After using the foam, I notice that it looked like a Jelly Bean. Inspired by Dan, I call this Dan’s Mylar Jelly Bean.
Materials:
- Hook: Tiemco TMC5263 or TMC200R
- Hook Size: 8, 10
- Head: Brass Bead – Black or Gun metal – 3.2mm, 4.0mm
- Tail: White Zonker (Rabbit) strip
- Thread: UNI-Thread 8/0 White and Red
- Body: Mylar tubing and Foam
- Optional: Weed Guard or Flashabou
Tying Instructions:
- Debar Hook (I used TMC200R size 10) and put on a Brass Bead (Dan uses1/8” or 3.2mm)
- Cut a piece of foam strip (any color – jelly beans come is different colors – I like silver glitter) about as twice as wide as the gap of the hook
- Put down a white thread base on the hook to the barb
- Tie in a weed guard (optional)
- Cut approximately 3/16” of white zonker strip and tie it on the hook.
- Bring thread to the back of the zonker strip
- Tie in Flashabou (optional)
- Whip finish and cut thread
- Coat thread with Super Glue (I use Loctite Gel) and fold the foam strip – allow to dry.
- Now shape the foam
- Tie back on your white thread between the zonker strip and foam
- Slide the Mylar over the bead and onto the shank of the hook, over the zonker to the thread
- Wrap a few turns on to the Mylar and whip finish, cut the thread
- Apply head cement to the thread
- At the bead, tie down with red thread.
- Push back the mylar and cut off the excess
- Bring the weed guard or guards forward and tie down with the red thread (optional)
- Build up the thread to almost the diameter of the bead.
- Whip finish
- Use a Red Sharpie to color any mylar that might be exposed
- Apply head cement (optional UV)
