nothin' but tail

[Oncorhynchus gorbuscha 0]

this is my first attempt for a steelhead fly. i know that there's some things that i need to work on with this fly, such as body tinsel and putting on the tail better and stopping the thread before the bend of the hook.

 

anyway, i would greatly appreciate feedback and even some alterations to this pattern. so here is the material list:

 

Hook: Gamaktsu SL11-3H size 8

Thread: red

Body: opal tinsel, medium

Tail: hot pink buck tail

Wing: Fl. Cerlse Buck tail

Collar: Pink spay hackle

[Frank G. Swarner III 0]

For your tail try tying a semi tight loop first, then increase the thread pressure with each wrap. The bucktail shouldn't flair as much and you won't have to wrap thread around the hairs to keep them together. Keep wrapping the thread forward trapping the butt ends down the entire length of the shank. Stop about an eylengths away from the hook eye and trim the excess.

 

Tie the tinsel in at the front of the body, wrap down to the tail and back to the front then tie it off and proceed.

 

Not bad for a first try!! You'll get with some more practice.

 

Frank

[flytyinfreak 0]

Well, its not a bad start. Personally i don't like using bucktail for tailing material, but thats just me. Like you said, watch your thread wraps going over the curve of the hook.If it were me I would start your hackle where I see that single red thread wrap in the middle of the body and from that wrap point forward I would have dubbed and palmered the hackle to the head. As for the head itself it definitely needs some work. To get smoother wraps let your thread unwind so it lays flatter and therefore you get a smoother build up. I've been battling the same problem with the heads on my spey flies ( do a search for my flies in the database and you'll see what I mean) over all I like it, heck I'll fish it if you dont! LOL good tye bro.

[JohnP 0]

Not bad for a first attempt. It looks like you are using really heavy thread. I have gone to 8/0 on almost all my tying, as it is easier to make small, neat heads on flies than it is with 6/0. Unless I am tying soft hackles, then I like to use Pearsall's Gossamer silk thread.