Barr's Visadun Fly Tying Instructions by Charlie Craven

Fly Tying Recipe:
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Hook: #16-22 Tiemco 101
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Thread: Gray Veevus 14/0
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Tail: Dun Spade Hackle or CDL
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Body: Gray Olive Superfine
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Wing: Gray McFlylon or Macrame Yarn
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Hackle: Dun Rooster Neck or Saddle
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Here’s the fly you’ve all been waiting for! The Viz-A-Dun from John Barr. This pattern is a simple to tie, buoyant hatch matcher that is also easy to see. The Vizadun also incorporates a few little tying tricks that make the pattern quite durable. While not a far reach from the traditional thorax style patterns, the Vizadun is a new twist on an old fly. John likes this pattern as a front fly in a twoo fly combo rig, often dropping a Barr Emerger off the bend anywhere from six to eighteen inches back. The Vizadun is an unobtrusive indicator that allows feeding the fish the dropper without raising any eyebrows…do fish even have eyebrows?

[@sonja9001]

I like how many variations can be made on this theme. It’s like the Bach Chaconne for solo violin. Perfect proportions. Thanks for sharing.

[@CharliesFlyBox]

Exactly!

[@brianfeeney9493]

Thank You Charlie …….. gonna twist-up a “ Purple - Haze “ Version of this pattern !!! Thank You for Your Tutelage !!!!! ✨🎣💫

[@hirkojs]

Awesome looking fly ! Mega Thx !!!

[@tinoyb9294]

I like to use the stem of the hackle as a divider between the wings tied in front and back of the wing. This works on all kinds of dries. This method of wing is so much more durable than deer hair. I tied up a bunch of sparkle duns a long time ago and they have the infamous lean in the wing that this eliminates.

[@mikeney5113]

Very cool pattern Charlie.thank you for sharing.its going to be in my box for sure!

[@Hunter711pa]

Nice job Charlie thank you

[@andreascott5815]

Nice tie. Thank you.

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Hello Charlie! Nice fly!

[@akintomeatloaf]

Looks killer!

[@jack_batterson]

Charlie is like a graffiti artist, but with dubbin' rather than a spray can.

[@GeorgeSemel]

Gee's an improved version of the thorax duns, Back in the day, I spent a lot of time with turkey flats. For some reason the only one I tied in that style was BWO. # 18-22. For the tiny BWO #24 -26 I just use thread and a clump of CDC for the wing kind of half-ass sparkle dun. Worked well on the West branch of the Framington right about now to the middle of Oct. This one will be a lot easier to see near dark when the fish tend to feed on them the best. The trico's this morning was not bad.

[@tathompsondsm]

"if I'm catching too many I can just wipe them off.."😅😅😅

[@wyomingtrout5581]

Love you method for setting the wing but your original method for tying the vis a dun result’s in a beefier thorax which I think is more on line with Johnny Barrs intentions and the attributes of a classic thorax style dry fly. I revere jack Dennis as the god father of western fly fishing, Charlie please tie his famous para wullf dry fly. I know he has a following in Colorado and you and Pat Dorsey admire his contributions to western fly tying

[@cachi-7878]

@<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="92">1:32</a> I learned this trick from Del Mazza many years ago. For those of you who’ve never heard of Del, he was a Catskills dry fly tyer and made these spectacular displays (domes and other form factors). Look him up although there isn’t much listed on him out there. I know he stopped tying commercially, sold off tens of thousands of dollars worth of his signature capes and other stuff. Not sure if he’s still alive. Where did you learn this trick, Charlie?

[@CESmith-hu2yg]

@cachi-7878. Just read this comment and noticed you referrencing Del. I am a good friend of Del and yes he is still alive and kicking.

[@sackley77]

Charlie. What’s your LEAST favorite fly to tie?

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

Can I give you a Tip? Film with a Blue Background. Blue is dark enough that light colors show up well, light enough the black/brown colors show up well, and its the LEAST used color in fly tying so you'll never have it match a fly tying material closely enough to make it hard to see.