First Fly Tying attempt

[jl3140]

So I just got my fly tying stuff in today, here's the first fly I tied. Next time I'm going to make it more woolly. I'm hoping the fish like it though. I was very limited in my color selection.

[hawgthumper]

If I were a fish, I'd kill it ! Just kidding, it'll get better. That appears to be a wooly booger. You may want to shorten the tail just a bit and when you palmer your hackle forward try to get it to wrap between the seams of your chenille. That will give it a more bushy look. I you don't mind me asking, how are you tying on your hackle?

[jl3140]

I'm going to try another one later tonight and hopefully it looks better. I didn't have enough hackle when I started it at the back. For the hackle, I tied it on the back with some thread an then I just winded it around the shank to the front and then twisted thread around it a few times.

[Jerry V]

That's a very good tie for a first take... I'd fish it.

As hawgthumper said, I would shorten the tail just a smidge.  The hackle wrapping thing is something that will come to you with practice.  Trust me I know it ain't easy to wrap that stuff with out breaking or running out of length before you want. 

Keep at it 'Bro, your off to a smashing start.

Jerry

[jl3140]

Thanks, I just made another one and it looks WAY better. I took hawgthumper's advice about wrapping the hackle in between the seams of chenille. It made a HUGE difference.

[mikesjet]

For the tail of a bugger, make it the same length as the shank of the hook.  You can also vary the appearance of the hackle by either palmering (tying feather in by the tip) or by tying the feather in by the bottom and turning your hackles.

[Denny Welch]

Hey j,

I would definately keep that fly, if for no other reason than prosperity sake.  Pin it on the wall, or put it in a box, but keep it.

STEP ONE:  Put the hook in the vise and attach the tying thread at the bend of the hook.

STEP TWO:  Get a nice fluffy marabou feather (color doesn't matter yet).  With your left hand, hold the tip of the feather with the concave side facing you.  With your right index finger and thumb, squeeze about an inch of the marabou fibers and pull them down and off the stem.   Transfer the marabou fibers to your left hand.

STEP THREE:  Tie in the marabou fibers on to the TOP of the hook with about six or eight wraps.  Make sure the thread is still at the original tie in spot.  Don't worry yet about the length of the tail.

STEP THREE:  Find a piece of hackle about six inches long with barbs about the same size as the gape of the hook.  Tie the hackle in by the tip and with the shiney side of the feather facing up.  Keep the thread at the original tie in spot. 

STEP FOUR:  Cut a piece of chenille at about six inches long.  With your fingernail, scrape off the first 1/4 inch of one end, leaving two cotton cords.  Tie in the chenille by tying over the two cords.  Advance the tying thread from the original tie in spot to a point 1/4 inch from the eye.  FROM THIS POINT ON, DO NOT ADVANCE THE THREAD PAST THIS POINT.
 
STEP FIVE:  Wrap the chenille, one wrap tightly against the other, to the new tie in point.  Take six wraps over the chenille, MAKING SURE NOT TO GO BEYOND THE TIE IN SPOT.  Cut off the excess chenille.

STEP SIX:  The next step is to wrap the hackle.  If you have hackle pliers, use them.  Take three or four EQUALLY SPACED wraps of hackle to the tie in spot.  As you wrap, the stem of the hackle will try to twist.  Do what you can to  keep the stem straight so that the shiney side of the hackle continues to face towards the back of the fly (this aids in making the fly sink).  Take another wrap of hackle over itself and Tie off the hackle making sure not to go beyond the tie off spot.  Now, take your left finger tips and sweep them over the last wrap of hackle pulling them slightly towards the back of the fly and make a couple thread wraps over THE BASE of that hackle wrap.  That will nudge that hackle towards the back of the fly and just gives it a cooler look.

STEP SEVEN:  You should still have that 1/4 inch of space at the head of the fly.  Use it to form a nicely shaped conical head by wrapping the thread over itself.  If you know how to use a whip finisher use it.  Otherwise, put a couple half-hitches on the head and cut your thread.  Apply a drop or two of head cement to the finished head

STEP EIGHT:  Tear the tail to length...don't cut.

Now, make a dozen more.  Compare the last one you make with the one stuck on the wall.  You'll be surprised.