Detailed instructions on how to use large feathers on small soft hackles.

A clever technique for utilising oversized feathers on small soft tackle flies involves isolating the feather’s tip to create a triangular tie-in anchor. By extending the feather’s fibres past the hook’s edge and reorienting its stem parallel to the shank, you can wrap it as a normal soft tackle collar, securing it in place to finish the fly’s body and push the fibres rearward for a tidy finish behind the eye. Read More »

Whip finishing

Whip-finishing-step-1
  1. Hold the Whip Finish Tool in your hand trapping the ball located just above the handle between thumb and index finger. (This prevents the tool from turning.) While holding the tool in this manner, position the head of the tool on tying thread as shown in Figure 1.
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Fly Tying Thread Comparison UTC UNI and Veevus
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Tying with Deer Hair Part 1 - Tools

Part 1 – The Tools

A quick primer on the tools you’ll need if you want to start tying deer hair bugs for bass, pike and other predators. This video covers thread, essential tools and some optional extras. GSP Thread, heavy duty scissors, double edged razor blades, hair packers, leg pullers hair stackers, hot tip and the bend-a-blade.

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This video tests the location of dumbbell eyes tied on flies. I test under and over the hook shank with several conditions including a water test. This video might help beginning fly tiers understand the effect dumbbell eyes have on a fly depending on tie in location.

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The “Pinch Tie In” is one of the basic techniques used in fly tying. It allows for the fly tier to control the material and place controlled thread wraps onto that material.

Controlling the the material when tying flies is one of the keys to tying proper and proportional patterns!

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This segment is from the DVD 50 Years Behind the Vise – the best introduction to fly tying techniques ever produced. It features world famous fly fishermen Lefty Kreh & Bob Clouser, who have over 60 years combined experience tying flies for fresh and salt water fishing.

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The Hand Whip Finish is a great technique to master. Once you master the Hand Whip Finish, you will have a deep understanding of how the whip finish knot works.

The Hand Whip Finish allows you to quickly finish off a fly, without the aid of the Whip finisher Tool.

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The Freshwater Weed Guard is most commonly used on bass flies and mouse patterns. But it is not only used on freshwater flies, it is often used on redfish spoon flies as well. The freshwater weed guard is considered a heavy duty weed guard, used in heavy weeds and cover.
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Counter Wrapping is a fly tying technique used to lock down delicate materials and accentuate a ribbing material. Counter Wrapping is most often done with a fine wire or small tinsel. The Counter Wrapping technique is used on Pheasant Tails, Prince Nymphs and Woolly Buggers, just to name a few.
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