Beginner fly tying

[itsfarmingtime 0]

I'm still trying to find my way around this forum. It's a lot different from the motorcycle forum I'm on daily so I have to learn quickly. I feel like I was so excited to start one that I rushed it more than I should have

[mikechell 0]

I don't think wooly buggers have a "wing" ... the black fibers you have over the back. Not a bad innovation, but not original design. When you tie in the head, trim the material before you finish off the fly. You should, in most cases, have as smooth a taper (going to the eye of the hook) as possible. If you touch weed or algae, it's going to hang up on those fibers you've got hanging out the front.

[itsfarmingtime 0]

Good to know! The book that came with my kit didn't explain things all that well. I believe I should have wrapped the feather around the shank to give it the fuzzy look all around it. It is a fly that I like using and wish to master it. I think I will try to work on making it for bass then get smaller for the trout since I have less chances to fish for them versus the bass.

[mikechell 0]

OH lol ... yeah. You could have a hackle tied in at the front, and a wire tied in at the back, both ready to wrap.

Wrap the hackle back to the wire and hold it tight. Then (a little tricky) trap the hackle stem down as you wrap the wire forward. You work the wire to keep from trapping the barbs of the feather while pinning the stem of the feather to the body of the fly. When the wire reaches the thread, tie it off.

[itsfarmingtime 0]

I think I follow you. Like I said, I have to keep trying it.

[itsfarmingtime 0]

Ok so I've been looking at more videos and at a website that someone showed me and this was my second attempt at the same fly. Still needs work but I feel like this was a far better attempt at tying. Comments and critiques are always welcome.

[utyer 0]

There is a lot of thread on top of the chenille, and the back of the body is too thick. The thick chenille is reducing the hook gap.

 

When you tie in the chenille first strip about a quarter inch of the chenille off the thread core,

 

Then make your tie in over only the core. The chenille should be hanging to the rear.

 

Tie in a wire rib at the same place, and it too should extend back over the tail.

 

Advance the thread to the front, and tie in your hackle by the butt. Clean off the fluff first, and tie in the stem with hackle extending over the eye of the hook.

 

Wrap the chenille forward in touching but not overlapping turns, by tying in only the core of the chenille, you won't have the bulky build up

at the back. When you get to the front stop just behind the eye (about 1.5 times the width of the hook eye. Tie off and trim the chenille here.

 

Tie off with three firm turns of thread, and hold the chenille up as you trim close on top if the hook.

 

Now take two turns of hackle behind the thread right at the front of the chenille, then spiral the hackle back to the rear. The feather needs to be long enough to make at least seven turns. Leave the tip clipped in your hackle pliers, and let it hang down right at the rear of the body.

 

Now take the wire, and make a firm turn over the hackle tip pulling it down into the chenille. Spiral the wire forward over the hackle.

 

At the front, bring the wire under the hackle to the eye, and tie it off with three firm turns. Twist the wire to break it off. Build up a neat head and whip finish.

[mikechell 0]

Sorry to mess with your picture, but I had to see it horizontal. I've noted the basic problems.

 

 

It is better than the first one ... especially with the hackle wrapped this time.

 

 

[mikechell 0]

Go to http://www.flyanglersonline.com

It always goes to the "forum" page for me ... if so, click the "home button" at the top.

Down the left side, click on "fly tying"

The click on Beginners

The go to "chapter 13"

It not a movie ... but it is great step by step for tying the wooly bugger.

[Gene L 0]

I think you did pretty well. On a caddis, I like to keep the hair on top of the hook and not let it migrate down the sides, where it will flare. It will flare anyway, but if you pinch it and tie with a couple of soft wraps and then tighten up on it, it won't flare to the sides too much.

[itsfarmingtime 0]

utyer - I think I understand about the chenille. I need to look at it some more to fully grasp it though. For these two flies, I haven't used any wire to hold the hackle.

 

mikechell - I have no clue why the picture posted sideways. I don't mind you drawing on it at all though. I did notice the flaws that you mentioned before posting it, but frankly for my second fly ever I felt a little pride in it. With that said, I am going to focus on that with the third one. I did go onto that site that you sent me and I've been watching the videos and reading some of his other stuff which I feel helped a lot.

 

Gene L - Thank you! If you are talking about the hackle flaring out in all directions, then I'm curious as to how you wrap it. I don't see any issues with it flaring all around, but I have very little experience in this field of fishing.

[mikechell 0]

Gene's talking about post #6, I think. The original poster has a caddis imitation on that one.

[itsfarmingtime 0]

Well that would make much more sense!

[add147 0]

itfarmingtime,

You will get the hang of it! You Tube is a fly tiers friend in my opinion. I have watched hours of videos so there is a huge repository of fly tying stuff out on the internet. We have it easy in today's time learning this wonderful hobby. I think it would be difficult to learn all this stuff by reading a book like the experience tiers that have been tying for 20 plus years.

[Dave G. 0]

It's nice to tie well proportioned neat looking flies. It's a kind of badge of honor. But sometimes it's the rattiest looking flies that catch fish, LOL ! I've been in certain hatches of caddis where the new beautifully tied Elk Hair Caddis didn't catch a thing. It wasn't until it finally got a fish or two or I switched out to one that was beat up from a days fishing that the trout turned on to it. Point being fish with what you tie !! By all means, sometimes that is a good beginning to a new way of tying something too. Then again sometimes you find out what Doesn't work. Like a Blue Winged Olive with broken off tails. Never seems to get a thing, might as well chuck it or strip the hook and tie a new one.. But fish it first.