Complete White River Fly Fishing Website

Cover most the shank with lead wire. Rule of thumb is the diameter of the hook shank should be the size wire you use. Leave enough space in the back and the front to complete the fly without crowding etc.

Tie the thread on in front of the lead wire. Build a thread dam in front of the wire and wind to the back and repeat the same process. Don’t worry about covering up the lead wire, the mylar will do that. Also when wrapping over lead wire, the key to staying more on top of the wire and not cinching down between the wraps would be to tie loose and at and angle. Just thought some of you would want to know that.

Step 3.

Pull the inner core out of the mylar. Your thread should be at the bend of the hook.

Don’t worry about measuring the length yet. Slide it on until a little of the end is sticking out the back of the hook. Make about three wraps in the same spot when tying it down. Now the next step calls for you to wind the red wire up, I don’t do this step because red thread can do the same thing. I know it’s more for durability, but when you tie your own flies you can cheat a little bit. They don’t fall apart without it, trust me. After you’ve tied down the mylar, wrap the thread up at an angle making segmentations. When you get up almost to the eye you’ll tie it down making three or four turns and you’re ready to trim the excess off. How you do this is by making a cut with your scissors right at the eye were the mylar is hanging off. After the cut you’ll notice the material frays like it did in the back. You’ll need to cut all those little frays off. If might take you a few times to get them all. You should have nothing in front of the eye so make sure you get them all.

Advance the thread up the fly at a angle. This step calls for red wire for rib, but I use thread because I'm showing you the step. I would use wire if you're going after toothy critters.

Cut a clump of artic fox. If you notice in the picture, there's some guard hairs that are longer than the majority of the rest. Pull those out until most of what you have is even at the tips.

Tie one clump on each side of the hook. You’re not trying to cover the hook shank all the way around so make sure you only tie them on the side.

Here’s what it should look like.

Now this next step is the most crucial one. You need to have either Texas or magnum cut zonker strips. Or a whole hide you can cut yourself. It’s easier to have the strips that are already cut because you don’t have to make so many cuts to get it to look right. I’m using the new cut that Wapsi is cutting called the Texas. First cut the “V” in the front where you’ll tie it down. Then make one cut at a angle to get the right look. Notice mine in the picture. Also when making the cuts make sure you’re thinking about the proportion of the fly. The back of the hide should butt up with the mylar tinsel that’s frayed.

Now the thread base you made from tying in the gills is where you’ll tie in the hide. Don’t go anymore up front. The bare shank will be for tying in the deer hair. When tying down the hide, you’ll mostly tie down the “V” part of the hide to really make sure it’s tied in and won’t slip from a fishes mouth. When finished tying it down you’ll want to add some glue.

Once you’ve secured the rabbit strip, take some krystal flash and wrap it around the thread and tie it down.

This step will require two separate clumps of hair tied in the side of the hook shank. This technique is called stacking. Before tying it in make a thread base of thread so the hair won’t shift as you tie it in. The rule of thumb when tying in deer hair is by making three turns making the first one tight, the second tighter, and the last one being the tightest. Once you have completed the three turns the hair shouldn’t move. One way to prevent this is by holding the hair on the other side (away from you) while your making the turns. Stack the hair and cut about two pencil widths and tie it in.

Repeat the same step on the other side. Once you’ve tied both clumps in you can pull all the hair back and tie in front of it. If you still have room in the front you can spin another clump and then trim it to shape. If you selected enough hair you shouldn’t need anymore and that’s important for the proportion of this pattern.

Whip finish and you’re ready to trim this to shape. The best way to do this is with a double side razor blade that you can flex.

Trim the underside straight across.

Fold the razor blade to create a half circle. Start at the eye and stroke it back until you met the tips (the collar) and stop. Make any other cuts to complete to the desired shape you want it.