Behind The Eye

Stop crowding the head area of the fly by leaving an eye length of bare 

shank to tie down wing cases, hackles, legs, throat hackle etc.

Gold Ribbed Hares Ear Nymph

Gold Ribbed Hares Ear Nymph

Hook - Nymph/wet style size 10-18

Thread - Brown, black etc

Tail - Guard hairs from a hare's mask

Ribbing - Gold Oval Tinsel

Abdomen - Hare’s Ear Dubbing (Light)

Wing case - Gray duck/goose quill, turkey tail fibers, pheasant tail fibers etc

Thorax - Hare’s Ear Dubbing (Dark)

Tying Notes

Can be tied weighted or unweighted. 

Use a different color thread to determine a weighted fly.

Use different colored hares ear dubbing.

Tease out the hares ear dubbing for a buggy looking fly.

When tying nymphs, feather quill segments are usually called for. 

These fibers are delicate, they will split apart and will eventually break. 

These feather slips are usually sprayed with a clear fixative to help keep them together while tying and finishing the fly. 

You can also add a piece of tinsel over the wing case (like that on a copper john) for a little flash. Coat that with a drop of UV resin of your choice.

Fixatif for Quill Wings

Have you run out of Fixatif for those quill wings?

$8.99 @ Michaels Craft Store

Your significant other may just have a substitute.

Unscented Hairspray

$1.97 @ Walmart

Alaska Mary Ann "Bucktail"

Alaska Mary Ann "Bucktail" ("bucktail" is what its called in the books)

Alaska Mary Ann Bucktail

Tail - Red hackle fibers

Body - Ivory or light tan silk floss

Rib - Medium flat silver tinsel (optional)

Wing - White polar bear

Cheek - Jungle cock

Attributed to Frank Dufresne

Streamers & Bucktails - Joseph D Bates Jr

Fly Angler's OnLine "Old Flies Part 2" (flyanglersonline.com)

Devil Bug

Devil Bug

Hook - Mustad 94840 or equivalent

Thread - Brown/tan

Tail/Back/Head - Natural deer hair, cleaned and stacked

Body - Dry-fly dubbing

Try the pattern in different colors, both natural and bright attractor

Known by many names, the Devil bug, Cooper bug and Goofus bug, it can be tied in all manner of colors and with bleached or natural elk or deer hair.

Doc Spratley

Doc Spratley

Hook - Nymph/streamer, 8-10

Tail - Guinea fowl

Body - Red, green, orange, black wool

Rib - Silver tinsel

Hackle - Guinea fowl

Wing - Pheasant tail

Head - Peacock herl

Pinedale Floater, Light & Dark

Pinedale Floater, Light

Hook - Mustad 94840 or equivalent

Thread - Tan

Tail & Body - Light tan elk hair. Body & tail are fashioned from a single bunch of hair, and body is wrapped in a crisscross from front to rear and back to the front.

Hackle - Light ginger

Pinedale Floater, Dark

Hook - Mustad 94840 or equivalent

Thread - Brown

Tail & Body - Brown elk hair. Body & tail are fashioned from a single bunch of hair, and body is wrapped in a crisscross from front to rear and back to the front.

Hackle - Dark ginger

Popular Fly Patterns by Terry Hellekson

Fly Fishing Rocky Mountain National Park

Zug Bug

ZUG BUG

Hook - Standard nymph/wet style

Thread - Black 

Weight - Lead/lead free wire

Tail - Peacock sword fibers

Ribbing - Oval silver tinsel

Body - Peacock herl

Hackle - Brown 

Wing case - Lemon wood duck, clipped

Timely Tying Tips

When using marabou, wet it first. It will be easier to handle.

Use a sharp blade like a scalpel blade or razor blade, instead of scissors, to cut the tensioned thread after making a whip finish. That way you only cut the thread and not the hackle fibers.

Another variation is to keep the thread tight and use the "V" of the scissors to cut, same principle and safer

Replace the lids on bottles of head cement etc as soon as you’re finished using it

         

Add a small amount of head cement to the thread just before whip finishing . This saves you getting head cement on the hackles when finishing the small dry fly.

Moisten your finger tips before adding dubbing to the thread 

    

"Measure twice, cut one" particularly when making wings from quill feathers.

   

 When dubbing, pick out how much you think you need for the fly, then reduce it in half.

            

If your hackle pliers are slipping, glue a thin piece of rubber band to the inside of the blade to hold the feathers securely.

I would recommend a beginner to wax their thread.

When tying in deer hair use 2-3 pinching loops then if you want it to spin it tighten by pulling thread down and if you want to tie in as a wing pull thread upwards to hold in place

Every single turn of the thread better have a damn good reason for being there.

Tie flies in batches. This will lead to greater consistency and you don't waste as much time handling different materials.

Wind rib material the opposite way to the feather fiber etc underneath so that it secures it more effectively.

When tying in chenille etc strip the material from the core with your finger nails. Tie in the exposed thread core to the hook. Less bulk at the tie in point.

When coating buzzers, 4 coats of Sally Hansen’s gives the right degree of coverage.

Learn to whip finish with your fingers.

Save those chip bags. They can make excellent tinsel in an array of colors. Great for body material too!

Always have a look in your local big box craft shop, home center, department store or dollar store. 

You can find some interesting fly tying materials at a fraction of the price you’ll pay in a fly shop.

ALWAYS keep materials you don’t want bugs to get into in the original sealed plastic bags they came in.

Peacock herl is brittle – always rib with wire or make a rope around your thread.

A frequent half hitch will stop things becoming undone. perfectly acceptable to do so regarless of what someone may tell you.

Tie in game feathers such as partridge by the tip as the stalk is too large.

Leave plenty of room for your head (I’m guilty of not doing this)

Save the old appliance cords and cut them to approximately 6-8 inches long. Strip away a few of inches of the insulation to expose the fine copper wire inside. Great for ribbing wire

You CAN use your expensive scissors to cut wire! Just cut wire close to the pivot area.

Use what ever kind of feather is lying around your tying area to clean out the head cement from the 

hook eye. Many other tying items can also be used to accomplish a clean hook eye.

Thread tension is very important. Try to tie with the thread at 90% breaking strain.

2 tight turns of thread are better than 6 slack ones.

When tying with flat stick on eyes, bending them into a vee shape like this < will make installing them onto a rounded head much easier. After they are installed, I will make an x wrap with clear mono thread and then coat with epoxy or the current goos on the market. The mono will disappear, the eyes are held on tight and the epoxy or goo makes a nice head.

Break your thread! Get to know how much pressure you can apply to your tying thread by making it break. If it does break, don’t panic! Simply attach your hackle pliers to the broken end, unwrap a bit and then reattach your tying thread

When tying deer hair wings a couple of loose wraps around base of wing prior to fixing it in position prevents unwanted flare.      

Keep pets especially puppies away from fly tying tables and materials. Genetic capes seem to taste best.

A stick with a magnet taped to one end or a telescoping magnetic wand is the easiest way to find stray hooks and flies on the floor.

Sharpen fly tying scissors by taking kitchen aluminum foil and folding so that it is four layers thick. 

Use scissors to make about 10 cuts with the full length of the blades ...... give the tips another 5 snips. Bingo sharp scissors again.

Peacock herl! Tie one in at the eye and one at the tail; take your thread back to the eye. Wind the herl at the eye to the bend and then secure this by winding the tail herl to the head, then secure with thread wraps.

Wet your fingers when handling Goose biots. They'll stay in between your fingers and save you the embarrassment of swearing at yourself.

When using Holo tinsel and UV strands as a rib. Place the UV on top of the Holo tinsel. On a bright day the tinsel glistens and when overcast or in low light the UV glows. 

Do you want your dry flies to float all day and do so after catching fish? Use Scotchgard. Only use this as a pretreatment on batches of new flies and do not over do it. Let them dry for a couple of days.     

You can also convert your articulated reading/fly tying lamp into a gallows tool with the aid of a child’s hair band and a spare hackle pliers.

If you ever need emerald green tinsel, take a piece of pearl put a weight on each end and cover the pearl using a black marker pen. When dry, turn it over you’ll have emerald green.

Thread control. Use thinner thread where possible.

Modern bobbin holders and plastic spools have very little weight to hang and hold mid-tie when winding ribs and hackles etc. Put a piece of lead or brass rod which will fit within the spool between the holding axels to give weight.

Use ceramic tip bobbin holders. It will greatly reduce swearing

A bit of Velcro super glued onto a flat stick, dowel, coffee stirrer etc makes a simple dubbing brush

Keep most things JUST out of reach, You get some exercise with a good old stretch and are less likely to knock things off the work surface. 

A washed out mascara brush makes a more delicate dubbing brush

When tying in deer hair wings, use you dubbing needle to work a bit of head cement into the butt ends before binding down on them. They'll last much longer.

When tying in herl bodies, wind them onto wet head cement. They'll last much longer.

Do not be afraid to bend the hook to suit the pattern you are tying. Just don't over do it.

Wash your Bucktail

Washing your bucktails will get rid of excess dye and also smell a whole lot better!

Airhead

Airhead

Hook - Bass

Thread - Yellow

Body - Dubbing of your choice

Wing - Deer, elk etc.

Head - Foam strips tied bullethead style

Cocky Nymph

Original recipe is in the following link

http://www.fishandboat.com/Transact/AnglerBoater/LegacyIssues/1960s/Documents/06june1967.pdf

Learn a New Tying Technique

I've been tying flies for 35+ years and I certainly dont know every fly tying technique. And neither do you.

So every now and then I take out "The Fly Tyers Benchside Reference" book and learn a new tying technique.

I dont necessarily tie a finished fly but just try to master the technique to the best of my availabily.If it doesnt come out correctly you can always unwind everything and start over or just cut everything off of the hook.

Give a new technique a try. You can do it if you really try!

Double Bead Midges

Double Bead Midges

Hook - Straight or curved style

Bead - Your choice

Thread - Your choice of size & color

Use krystal flash, wire, liquid lace, hairs etc for the body. 

Use different colors of seed beads or brass and tungsten beads.

Baker's Hole Bugger

Baker's Hole Bugger

Weight - Lead free wire

Tail - Brown marabou; Krystal flash; Yellow marabou

Ribbing - Gold wire

Hackle - Grizzly

Body - Yellow/brown variegated chenille

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle

Hook - Partridge CS17 Ken Baker or any 6xl streamer equivalent

Thread - Black 

Tag - Gold oval tinsel

Butt - Black ostrich herl

Rib - Gold oval tinsel

Body - Gold embossed tinsel

Wing - Yellow bucktail over pearl crystal flash

Nothing

Nothing

Hook: Streamer

Thread: Black

Tail: White calf tail

Body: White yarn

Wing: White calf tail

White Miller

White Miller

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906 or equivalent

Thread - White under floss body; black head

Tag - Flat silver tinsel

Ribbing - Flat silver tinsel

Body - White floss

Throat - White hackle fibers

Wing - White duck quill slips

Marcy Dam Mayhem (MDM Bucktail)

Marcy Dam Mayhem (MDM Bucktail)

Hook: Streamer hook, size #12

Thread: Black

Wing: White bucktail

Throat: Red bucktail

Rib: Small gold wire

Body: Uni-Floss, orange and overlaid back with peacock herl

Tail: Golden pheasant tippet feather

.56%er (Tom Nixon)

.56%er

(Pronounced "Point fifty-six percent")

Bass/Panfish Fly

Hook - Mustad 9672 or equivalent, size 8-16

Weight - Lead free wire

Thread - Black
Tail - Wood duck
Body - Gray yarn with a yellow yarn belly stripe
Hackle - Grizzly

Fly Tying and Fly Fishing for Bass and Panfish - Tom Nixon

Nymphs

Pheasant Tail Nymph (Natural) - Dubbed Thorax

Pheasant Tail Nymph (Black) - Dubbed Thorax

Pheasant Tail Nymph (Olive) - Dubbed Thorax

Pheasant Tail Nymph (Tan) - Dubbed Thorax

Euro Style Pheasant Tail

Frenchie

Beadhead Hares Ear

Buckskin Nymph

Egan's Red Dart

Hares Ear Variant

Hot Wire Nymph

Flashback Little Gray May

Walt's Worm

Walt's Sexy Worm

Utah Killer Bug

Big Horn Nymph

Kennebago #1 through #6

Kennebago #1

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Body - Flat Silver Tinsel

Wing - Brown over white bucktail

Kennebago #2

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Body - Flat Silver Tinsel

Wing - Black over yellow bucktail

Kennebago #3

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Body - Flat Silver Tinsel

Wing - Red over white bucktail

Kennebago #4

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Body - Flat Silver Tinsel

Wing - Black over white bucktail

Kennebago #5

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Body - Flat Silver Tinsel

Wing - Red over yellow bucktail

Kennebago #6

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Body - Flat Silver Tinsel

Wing - Green over white bucktail

Reference - Forgotten Flies

Depth Ray #1 & 2 Streamers

Depth Ray #1

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Tail - Orange polar bear

Butt - Black wool

Body - Flat silver tinsel

Throat - Yellow hackle fibers

Wing - Fluorescent green depth ray wool, over which is black bucktail

Depth Ray #2

Hook - Streamer style

Thread - Black

Tail - Lemon wood duck

Butt - Fluorescent orange floss

Body - Flat silver tinsel

Throat - Orange polar bear

Wing - Fluorescent green depth ray wool, over which is black bucktail

Tying note: Hackle substituted for polar bear

Blacknose Dace (Variant)

Blacknose Dace (Variant)

Hook - Streamer or Nymph

Thread - Black

Tag/Tail - Red Thread

Body - Twisted silver wire

Wing - Brown over black over white bucktail

Blacknose Dace (Variant)

Hook - Streamer or Nymph

Thread - Black

Tag/Tail - Red yarn/z-lon

Body - Twisted black wire

Wing - Brown bucktail

Throat - White bucktail

Jersey Herd (Variant)

Jersey Herd

Tom Ivens

Hook - Mustad 9671, 9672 or equivalent

Thread - Black

Tail - Peacock herl

Under body - Tying thread or floss

Body - Copper colored tinsel

Rib - Copper wire, optional

Back - Peacock herl

Beard Hackle - Hot orange 

Head - Peacock herl

Tying Note - This variation is a twisted copper wire body instead of copper tinsel

Originally the body was made from a tin foil milk bottle top

Teeny Nymph

Teeny Nymph

Jim Teeny Originator

Hook - Mustad 3399, 3906, 3906B or equivalent, size 8-18

Thread - To match pheasant tail

Body/Legs - Pheasant tail in various colors