Adding Legs to bluegill patterns

[crazy4oldcars 0]

Mike,

Let me see if I can explain it better this time, lol.

When you get to the point where you want to tie in the legs, Take 2 turns right at that spot. Then hold both ends of the legs and straddle the thread.

 

Keeping the legs on the thread, drag the legs all the way around the fly to the back side.

 

Let go of the legs and take 2 firm wraps over the tie in point. Stack the wraps as best you can, then take 1 more wrap to use for the other set of legs. Now grab the ends of the legs and tug them back and forth to set them in the right spot. This also helps the legs "V" out better.

 

Grab the other set of legs and do the same thing, leaving them on the near side of the fly.

 

Stack 2 hard turns of thread to lock them in and then tug on them to get them where you want them.

 

Finish the fly. At this point, I usually grab all of the legs into one bunch below the fly and cut them all the same length.

I tried trimming each one, but kept trying to get them even. I usually ended up with 1/4" legs.

Take a sharpie and color the end of the legs if you want.

 

Let me know if this helps. I looked at the video option and decided I didn't have enough equipment to make it look decent.

 

Oh, here is a test tie to show what the tie-in point looks like after the legs are done.

 

Regards,

 

Kirk B.

 

[tidewaterfly 0]

Kirk, that's a darn good explanation IMO! That's exactly how I tie them in too.

 

The only thing I'll add, is some leg materials, like silicone, break more easily than others so be careful with the tugging part.

 

I use this method for adding legs to my poppers too. Used to try punching holes thru the body, but almost never got them even & often damaged the body.

Now, I tie the legs behind the body just as you've shown & that works very well.

[Hatchet Jack 0]

Nicely done photos there Kirk B.

[crazy4oldcars 0]

Thanks tidewater and Jack.

My legs are deconstructed KOOSH balls, which are pretty strong. (I found them in 5 colors at Goodwill and ran them thru the dishwasher to get rid of any kid cooties)

I didn't think about the silicone ones breaking. Good catch.

If you dig down to the middle of a KOOSH ball, it has a piece if heavy wire holding it together. Cut that, and you have a lifetime supply of rubber legs.

 

 

Kirk B.

[flytire 0]

 

the above technique lends itself to tying on other material as well

[mikechell 0]

Okay ... I tie legs on the way the video shows. I don't have any problem with that. My original question, to this picture ...

 

... How did you get the legs almost perfectly (radially) splayed? I think I see now that it IS camera angle and lucky fall of the tied in legs.

[flytire 0]

i give up

 

how did you tie them?

[mikechell 0]

My question was about the perceived "even" look of the leg positions. When I legs on for a spider, 8 legs total, I get sets of legs ... I don't have a picture, so like this:

 

 

I was wondering if there was a way to get flexible rubber legs to point individually (like Kirk's) instead of in sets (like my drawing).

 

Never mind ... after taking a closer look at the photo, I see that some of the legs are out of focus. Taken from a different angle, they would not be as perfectly positioned.

[crazy4oldcars 0]

Yeah, Some are higher than others. The only thing that might be different is tying both sets for one side in at the same time. The foam body also helps control how they splay. The piece that has a narrower set is set higher, and is pinched a little bit by the foam.

Just for shots and giggles, I'm gonna tie another one and see if it works every time, lol.

 

Kirk B.

[crazy4oldcars 0]

Pure Luck, lol. I gave it a couple of tries. A larger diameter hook shank helps. I had a lot more difficult time getting the legs the way I wanted them on a dry hook than on a 3906B for wets. They still came out splayed, I just couldn't in anything that looked like the same plane.

 

 

The worst part is, now I'll be looking at my simple little foam spiders differently, lol.

 

Kirk B.

[flytire 0]

mikes question was

 

... How did you get the legs almost perfectly (radially) splayed?

 

 

 

heres one method that could be used to achieve the radial pattern of legs shown above. this is an example on how to tie on the rubber legs on a pats stonefly but the tying methods are the same. just use a smaller hook, omit the lead and chenille yada yada yada. the legs can be tied on a light or heavy wire hook as it really wouldnt matter

 

 

[mikechell 0]

Thanks, Flytire.