The two-toned salmon bomber

[salmo-salar 0]

Alright, this is my second bomber tutorial. Some time ago I posted a step by step of a brown bomber. I was never completely happy with that one, so I decided to do another. This tutorial will be a little more in depth, and the pattern itself is a little different. If there are any standing questions, dont hesitate to message me. I hope you enjoy!

 

 

I have started with a fairly thick thread. A 6/0 white for spinning deer hair. I have little experience with all those crazy strong threads, 6/0 and 8/0 is all I know really. You dont have to use white here, but I like it because its neutrel. If we were to make a black bodied bomber, I'd use black thread. Lay down a thread base.

 

 

I get a clump of white calftail, maybe about half a pencil width, stack it, and tie it in at the butt. This is the tail.

 

 

I get another equal amount of calftail, stack it, and tie it in at the head. This is our wing. I keep the wing a little longer than the tail, as it will be sticking up on an angle. Make sure you leave enough room between the eye and the wing. Hackle and of course, our head needs to go here. Cut both the butt ends of the wing and tail on an ANGLE so that they come togeather to form that smooth body.

 

 

I have split the front wing with criss-cross thread wraps. I then put a few wraps in front, and behind the wing. Bring the thread to the butt.

 

 

Prepare a fair clump of deer hair or caribou. Remove underfur. Offer to the top of the shank, make 2 or 3 moderate tension wraps over the clump, flaring it a little and keeping it secure, but not yet spinning it.

 

 

Cut the long ends quite short, ONLY for this first clump. It makes trimming easier. I have also taped up my front wing to make trimming easier. This helps A LOT. Make sure the tape isnt too sticky, because when you try to remove it later, it could pull out your wing.

 

 

Spin hair by tighening up your thread, slowly wrapping as you go. The tension will cause the hair to flare around the hook. Add a few more secure wraps within the spun hair. Catch thread in front of hair bunch.

 

 

Repeat. Keep the body tight by packing the clumps. You can use a hair packer, I just use my fingers. The hair is spun and I am at the wing. I bring thread in front of the wing and tie off.

 

 

Trim your hair with a good pair of scissors or razors. Shape is up to you. I taper it off towards the back, and keep the bottom FLAT so it sits on the water properly.

 

 

Swtich to finer neutrel color thread, similar that to the color of the body. I used 8/0 white. I start my thread at the butt.

 

 

Next to tie in our hackles. Im using an orange and yellow, metz #2 saddle. Make sure the barbs are nearly the same length on both hackles.

 

 

Strip the butts of the hackles and tie in one at a time. Advance your thread a few wraps through the deer hair body over the stems of the hackles, further securing them.

 

 

Cut off remaining hackle stems BEFORE advacing further up the body with your thread. Apply a generous drop of head cement to where you started your thread at the butt. Again, to keep the hackles secure.

 

 

Wind your hackle through one at a time. Remember, The last hackle you tie in gets wound FIRST. Be generous with the hackle, strong color is good. I can only get 1 fly per hackle with the amount of wraps I use. Make 3 or 4 wraps of hackle directly behind, and in front of the WING. Kind of like hackling a standard dry fly. You can see the hackle is more dense near the front wing. Tie hackle off at the head.

 

 

Advance the second hackle up through the body directly on top of the first hackle wraps. Again, make a few more wraps by the wing. Tie off and cut second hackle.

 

 

I like a black head, so instead of switching to black thread, I grab a permanent marker and color the thread black. Tie off, cement, your done!

 

 

Top view.

[lykos33 0]

As usual, nice fly and a great step by step. Hope you know how much SBS entries like this help out us less experienced tiers :thumbsup:

[RoyalWulff 0]

Excellent step by step man. I always like how your trim job looks. That is an awesome bomber im looking forward to you coming over and tying me a few haha.

 

Phil

[flydude 0]

Wow that is good step by step instructions. Very nice also. Roby

[salmo-salar 0]

Phil, Only if you let me at some classic materials That bomber is yours my man.

[Ghostrider 0]

Thanks for the great step by step, I'm tying a few right now. Looks like my first attempts are a bit too fatt, shoulda trimmed more.

[rstout 0]

Just a question. Is there a reason you do not tie in the hackles the same time you tie in your tail, leave them extended, tie in your hair, trim and then reattach your thread at the front and wrap? Just asking.

 

Rob

[Ghostrider 0]

Just a question. Is there a reason you do not tie in the hackles the same time you tie in your tail, leave them extended, tie in your hair, trim and then reattach your thread at the front and wrap? Just asking.

 

Rob

 

I think it's because its too easy to accindentally cut the hackle when trimming the hair.

[yellow bomber 0]

Tying the hackle in at the eye after the hair is spun, wrapping back to the bend and following the hackle down and back with the thread makes them very durable as well. Elimates breakage so it doesn't come unwrapped.

 

Just my .02 cents, there's a buncha ways to tye em

 

Great SBS too by the way, one of the best I've seen for a Bomber :headbang:

[Farmingtonflyguy 0]

Sweet tutorial, great fly too.

[salmo-salar 0]

Lol, sorry I never posted in awhile. Yep, the reason I tie them in after is so i dont accidently cut them while trimming. Thanks alot yellow bomber and farmingtonflyguy. God, I'm not even satisfied with this SBS anymore, might have to make ANOTHER one.

 

Ghostrider - Keep at it dude. its looking good. Dont cut them too short, I think this one I tied here is too slim.