2torial #0958:
Learn2 Tie a Fly

Come fly with me

Now that you've been fly fishing long enough to know the difference between nymphs, streamers, dry, and wet flies, and have a handle on what type to use when--maybe it's time to take that next step and start tying your own.

As nymphs (insects in the larval stage of their life cycle) make up a large percentage of a stream fish's diet, they're a popular choice among anglers. We'll get you started with a basic version of that type of fly.

Even though the tools and materials needed to tie your own flies can cost close to $150 (U.S.), that initial investment will eventually pay off, as you'll no longer have to buy ready-made flies at anywhere from $2 to $10 (U.S.) a pop.

If you've been fly fishing for some time, you may already be familiar with the tools and materials needed to start tying. If not, seek help from your local fly fishing store or visit a library or bookstore for publications about tying. Step 1 describes what you'll need. In the meantime, keep in mind that creating flies takes patience and precision--but will also result in a more satisfying catch.

Gather your materials

To get started, you need to obtain certain items, which you can find at a fly fishing or sports equipment store, or by typing "fly fishing" into an Internet search engine. Here's what you'll need:

A tying bench. An area devoted solely to tying is ideal, but you can also use a kitchen table, office desk, or card table. You'll need about 3 square feet (1 square meter) of open space.

A vise. Get a base vise, because they don't have to be attached to anything. They stand on their own, so you can set them up on any flat surface.

A hook. You'll need a size 14 fishhook for this nymph.

Thread. To guarantee the thread is as unobtrusive as possible, choose a color that matches the dubbing color. For a nymph, use size 6/O or 8/O.

A bobbin. This is used to hold the spool of thread while you wind it onto the hook.

Yarn. For this nymph, use glo bug, leech, or mohair yarn.

Floss. Silk, rayon, or nylon floss is used for building a fly's body. For this particular nymph, buy a spool of four-strand rayon.

Dubbing. This is any soft, smooth material you can wrap around the hook shank to help form the body of a fly. For nymphs, use either natural dubbing--like rabbit or squirrel fur, or peacock herl--or synthetic dubbing, like nylon.

Hackle. For this nymph, use hen feathers.

Tying scissors. Make sure they're sharp and your fingers fit through the loops.

A storage case. It's not necessary, but a case helps to organize, store, and transport your materials. Also, it'll keep potentially dangerous supplies like scissors, finisher cement, hooks, and needles away from children and pets.

Ready your hook

To catch a fish, you must trick it into believing your fly is real. This imitation starts with the hook, which is the foundation of the fly. The hook is the base that all the other materials--thread, yarn, floss, dubbing, and hackle--are wrapped around. Make sure it's free of blemishes, like scraps or markings. Also, the hook point must be sharp enough to penetrate a fish, and the eye must be closed in a full circle so your line won't slip out.

Open your vise and insert the lower bend of the hook into the forward, top end of the jaws, leaving the shank free. Be careful not to sandwich the hook point within the vise's grip, as it's the most fragile part of the hook, and can be damaged easily. Push the vice's lever down to lock the hook in place.

Keep in mind that the area closest to the hook eye will become the fly's head; toward the back, closer to the hook's bend, will be the fly's tail.

Secure the thread

To prevent yarn, dubbing, and other materials from spinning around the hook's shank as you work, you'll need to wrap a layer of thread around it first. You'll get much better control by wrapping materials around thread rather than slippery, rounded metal. Plus, this layer of thread also helps secure your fly in place when you cast.

Always position thread where materials will be secured, but leave a space of roughly seven wraps of thread between where you start and the hook's eye.

Hold your thread-loaded bobbin in the palm of your hand with your thumb and first finger on its pad. Tighten your other fingers around the spool to apply tension.

Unwind about an inch (2.5 centimeters) of thread. Hold the bobbin in one hand and the end of the thread in the other and begin wrapping thread forward around the shank in a clockwise direction, keeping constant tension on the thread. Wrap the thread over itself three or four times to hold it in place. Wrap the thread at a slanted angle to avoid hitting the hook point.

After you've gone eight turns around the hook, double back and wrap the thread eight times over itself. Again, keep constant tension on the thread, so nothing unwinds or loosens. Don't let go of or cut the thread, as tying a knot is your next step.

Make a half hitch knot

The half hitch is an easy and effective knot for tying off the thread. It's simply a thread loop around the hook. Here's how it's done:

• Use one hand to hold the bobbin just above your work space so the thread forms a straight line from the hook downward.

• Place the first two fingers of your other hand on the thread, with your palm facing away from yourself.

• Bring your thumb to your first finger and pinch the thread.

• Form a loop by rotating your hand 180 degrees (now your palm is facing you).

• Place the loop around the hook at the eye, using your index finger to keep the circle open.

• Remove your index finger and draw the loop closed at the point on the shank where you previously finished securing the thread.

• Make another half hitch knot to secure the knot. Don't cut the thread.

Attach the materials

Build the fly's body by wrapping materials around the thread you've secured around the shank.

The pinch technique is an easy way to place materials at the exact position desired, as it prevents the tendency to chase materials around the hook with the thread, which usually results in tying them at an unintended spot.

Cut a 2-inch (5-centimeter) section of yarn, and position it lengthwise on top of the shank. Hold the yarn in place by pinching it against the hook with the thumb and first finger of your other hand. With one hand, maneuver the bobbin (that's still attached to the half-hitch knot) so it's straight above the hook's eye. Bring the bobbin forward so the thread slides in between your pinched fingers.

Next, slide the thread down so it wraps around the yarn and hook, pass it under the hook, and then bring it back up again on the other side. Wrap in this manner five times, until the tip of the yarn is attached (but the rest remains unattached).

Wrap and tie off the materials

Use your scissors to cut off a 2-inch (5-centimeter) piece of floss. Using the pinch technique, tie only the tip of the floss to the spot on the hook where the tip of the yarn is already attached.

To hold the materials in place, make another five wraps with the thread and bobbin, starting at the tip of the yarn and floss, then work your way back to the hook's bend. You want some floss and yarn to remain hanging off, extending out beyond the bend.

To create body thickness, secure a 4-inch (10-centimeter) piece of yarn just before the bend (at the tail area of your fly), by wrapping the thread around it twice. Now, you need to bring the bobbin and thread back to the head of your fly, but without wrapping the yarn you just secured. Leave that yarn loose as you make five wraps toward the eye (however, you want to catch the yarn and floss you attached earlier).

Grasp the loose yarn at the fly's tail and use it to wrap tight 360-degree turns around the hook, starting at the rear and finishing at the front of your fly. Make several wraps with the yarn until you've covered the whole length of the materials completely, except for the two wraps closest to the hook eye.

Hold the bobbin below the hook, and grab the yarn you just wrapped with your other hand, making sure you hold it taut so your wrap doesn't unravel. Pick up the bobbin and make five loops around the hook at the tie-off position, which is the point closest to the hook eye (where you just finished wrapping). This will secure the yarn. Then, cut off the remaining yarn with your scissors. Also, cut off any floss that's left dangling at the hook eye, but leave any that's protruding off the other end of the hook.

Complete the dubbing

Pinch a little dubbing wax between your thumb and index finger, and run your fingers along the thread extending from the hook to the bobbin. Even if the thread you're using is pre-waxed, a little additional wax will help the dubbing stick to the thread better.

Begin with just a pinch of dubbing between your thumb and first finger, and spread it evenly and sparsely along the thread. With one hand, hold the bobbin below the hook, keeping the thread taut. With your other hand, rub the dubbing into place by rolling it between your thumb and first-finger onto the thread. Start about 3/4-inch (2 centimeters) below the hook point and work your way 3 or 4 inches (7.5 to 10 centimeters) down the thread.

If your dubbing starts too close to the hook shank or appears too thick or uneven in any one place, remove it and start again. All fibers should be rolled onto the thread in a smooth, even manner.

Wrap the dubbing-covered thread around the shank, starting from just before the bend and working your way forward to the head of the fly. Make three or four wraps. Then wrap plain thread around the head of the fly two or three times to secure it. Dip the point of your needle into your jar of finisher cement. Place two or three drops at the head to guarantee that the wrap doesn't unravel.

Attach the hackle

To create the appearance of legs, arms, and a tail, wrap a feather--called "hackle"--around the dubbing.

Start by tying only the tip of the feather's stem at the spot where you applied the finisher cement. With the dull side of the feather facing you, make five wraps of thread around the feather's stem.

Wrap the feather to splay it open around the dubbing. Make three wraps, each immediately behind the last, then begin spacing the wraps apart. You want the hackle to reach the back of the hook shank. Secure the hackle in place by making five wraps with your bobbin thread around the feathers closest to the fly's head. Make several half hitch knots to finish it off.

Cut the bobbin thread, put a drop of finisher cement on the fly to seal the knot, then use a needle to poke a small hole in the eye after the cement is dry (in case cement seeped in and closed the eye during the tying process). It may take a few tries to get the flies looking good, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be the one who's hooked.

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