This is a purely synthetic, no finesse fly, but it works magic on the fish.
Hook: Mustad 94840 dry fly hook
Body: closed cell rubber foam
Legs: 2 fine rubber strands
Thread: Monocord
Tying this fly couldn't be simpler. Lay down a foundation. Cut a section of flat closed cell foam, creating a slot for the hook shank. Tie down at the hook bend. Run the thread forward, tie down the front end of the foam. Finish with a wrap knot. With a large needle, feed the 2 fine living rubber strands through the body at 45š angles to the hook shaft, running the strands under the shaft. Bring ends together and clip at equal length. That's it. Try to get the colors to coordinate as closely as possible, but it doesn't have to be exact.
It's difficult to explain why such a cumbersome contraption should be so effective, but it is. Maybe it resembles the crane fly, with its long gangly legs. Or maybe it's just the way the small twitches activate the legs into a long lasting motion to return to normal posture. Maybe it's neither. All I know is that this fly brings fish to the surface to strike with a splash. There's very little sipping on this fly. The strikes are almost always water tossers.
I recommend a relatively heavy tippet to reduce line twist from the wind resistance of the legs, but other than that, there's nothing special about fishing this surface fly. The foam makes it a permanent floater. If a nibble on the legs offsets one of the legs, simple adjust it with a gentle tug. If the rubber strands are broken, replace them with fresh strands. It's durable and will fish many seasons with a few replacement strands.
It's a great fly for younger anglers who are just getting started. They're easy to tie, so it's no great loss when they're lost to a tree or snag from a misplaced cast or backcast. They're durable, holding together bite after bite after bite. They catch fish, so there is little loss of interest from a lack of response from the fish. And they keep the less experienced angler out of the fly box and the more precious flies in the collection.
I know several anglers who turn their noses up at this fly because it's so simple and crude. Well, it's their loss. And as the name implies, "May the force be with you."