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Fly tying thread

554K views 5K replies 173 participants last post by  plugs 
#1 ·
IS there anyway we can get a sticky fly tying thread/fly's thread where we can ask questions about flys and tying and share different flys?
 
#288 ·
Those are sweet N-creek! They kinda look like muddler minnows.

Woo!! Just got my new camera in the mail so im going to try and take as many pics as I can. :) :) :) Hopefully get them uploaded by the end of the week.
 
#291 ·
Those are awesome! I want to start tying tubes. Man I feel like a loser, I kept saying forever that I would post up some pics but have not yet. OK, I will try tonight. Havent really been tying a whole lot but just did a pheasant tail nymph. Trying to tie some of the basic trout flies so that I can get good at them. Keep the pics coming guys. :flag2:
 
#293 ·
Im really happy at how my nymphs came out, this is really my first time tackling some known nymphs ( Like not my own patterns) From left to right its; BH Copper john, Pheasant tail, Brassie, BH Pheasant tail, I think the tails on them are a little bit on the longer side but im still getting the hang of it. My teacher gave me a book about tying like the 12 best trout flies, so I am going to try to get good at tying those...once I find the book.

Criticism on them is welcome. :D
 
#294 ·
ifisherkid, the easiest way to make your nymph tails the right length is to make them equal to the length of the hook shank. That book, 12 best trout flies by Deke Meyer, talks about it a little if you read the captions below the pictures. (I have the same book)

Another good one is American Fly Tying Manual by Dave Hughes. It doesn't show many step-by-steps but has well over 200 of the most popular pattern recipes in it for trout, steelhead, salmon, bass, and saltwater species. And for only $10, every fly tier should have it.
 
#295 ·
ifisherkid, the easiest way to make your nymph tails the right length is to make them equal to the length of the hook shank. That book, 12 best trout flies by Deke Meyer, talks about it a little if you read the captions below the pictures. (I have the same book)

Another good one is American Fly Tying Manual by Dave Hughes. It doesn't show many step-by-steps but has well over 200 of the most popular pattern recipes in it for trout, steelhead, salmon, bass, and saltwater species. And for only $10, every fly tier should have it.
Thank trophy, I just gotta remember, tail as big as hook shank. I got both of those books you mentioned. I was actually just going to PM you, did you tie that EHC on your profile pic? It looks amazing and was wondering if you had any tips for that. I love fishing the EHC but mine done seem to come out looking like that one. Its perfect.
 
#296 ·
No, that one is a google image. The elk hair caddis just happens to be my favorite dry. The EHC and the x-caddis are my "go-to's" when I don't see anything flying around. Trout just love 'em. I tie an ok EHC. Nothing special but it gets the job done.

Some tips/comments:

Thread size is crucial to good looking dry flies. 8/0 is as big as I use for dries anymore. Any bigger and you have to be really careful to not get a "buildup" of thread anywhere

Use superfine dubbing to make a THIN dubbing noodle. Barely bigger than your thread. Makes it really easy to work with, and gets you that smooth tapered body look.

I tie my hackle in at the back and work forward, because I usually don't use a rib nor do I trust the rib will hold the hackle down like in Deke Meyers' book.

When tying in the wing, use more than 5 (not to many more) firm wraps to secure it, then unwrap until you have 4 or 5 wraps holding the wing down. Doing this tightens the thread in a "safe" fashion so that you wont break your thread from pulling on it to hard.
 
#297 ·
Thanks, im not really sure what you mean when you say unwrap...

"When tying in the wing, use more than 5 (not to many more) firm wraps to secure it, then unwrap until you have 4 or 5 wraps holding the wing down."

Do you actually unwrap your thread from the wing? Sorry that part kinda confused me.

I agree with the wire thing though, I dont ever use it to hold my materials down such as with the wooly bugger. Nor do I see a reason to add weight to my dry fly, even be it barely any.
 
#298 · (Edited)
Hmm..I borrowed that from a tutorial I read on tying traditional salmon flies. It just has to do with not building up a lot of thread, and making sure your material doesn't go anywhere. I can't seem to find it so I guess ill give another shot at explaining it.

Basically, when tying in your wing, secure it with 7 or 8 wraps. Then take 3 or 4 wraps off the fly (go backwards).

The idea is that 7 or 8 wraps might look "off" to the eye when you have all that thread there. But it is necessary to tighten the thread to hold your material. Fish probably wont care, but if you want a "perfect" fly it's the way to do it.

An idea just popped into my head about securing the wing. Try putting a drop of super glue on the hook, then mount your wing on top of it. I might try that one out and get back to you on it.

Edit: super glue works awesome. Makes for a nearly indestructible fly.
 
#300 ·
Awesome, so you tie in your hackle, dubbing then put a drop of super glue and tie in the wing?
That's the way I will do it from now on. Tied up a few last night for next spring. Simple and effective. I like flies that only require 3 materials and like 5 minutes to make.
 
#301 ·
Haha one time I was fishing at this little pond and found out it had cutthroat bluegill and bass in it...but I used a EHC and slayed em! But I got my fly caught on a sticker bush and went to grab it, all I grabbed was a fingerful of elk hair. -.- That was a poorly made fly back when I couldnt tie very well. The super glue would seem to eliminate any chance of that.
 
#302 ·
Heres some flies I have tied up recently, my first attempt at a wooly bugz with the right hook, and materials. The hackle was a little bit too long though.

I also think I made the whip finished head a little too big. Tail might be a little long too but I know it will definately catch bass.

Thats a....I forgot, spose to be a PMD but with light deer hair fanned as the wing.

Ive really been trying to perfect my EHC.
 
#303 ·
Woah. Get, or make, a hair stacker dude. Or do it the time consuming way and line them all up on your table. It's tough but do-able.

On the other hand, nice job on the bugger. The hackle looks fine in terms of length. IMO you want it longer than your hook gap, about one and a half of the hook gap is right. The tail is fine too, unless your getting short strikes. Longer tail = more action.
 
#307 ·
'Bout time to share some winter tying I guess....

Couple EHC



Dark stone


Reverse spider
 
#308 ·
And some steelhead flies...

Grenadier (variation of the grenade)


A red grenadier


My interpretation of the Max Canyon


Megawatt (kilowatt variation)


Egg Sucking Megawatt
 
#309 · (Edited)
They look great Trophy! Now post you gotta post up some pics with one of those in a big winter steelheads mouth. I just got done tying a bugger, took me like 10 minutes for the one, I messed it up and had to backtrack big time. Still really need to work on speed, then perfection. Maybe the other way around, alright so for the wooly bugger tail, does the same rule apply for tails like tail = hook shank. I am using a pretty long streamer hook and I thought maybe that may be too long.
 
#311 ·
Im pretty sure that is either peacock herl or peacock sword. I dont even know if there is a difference. Looks like in first one maybe some squrriel tail hair, herl, then hackle the second one he has maybe calf hair, guinea fowl died orange, peacock herl, then the black hackle.


Hey trophy I love that "Reverse spider", is the golden pheasant fiber tippets? How did you get them to almost stick out like a hackle like that. Just tie them all around the hook and flare them a little?
Love the EHC, they look so perfect. Also, for the Megawatt, I noticed how the eye of the hook is down rather than up, is that fly almost fished like a jig?
 
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