Author Archive

Maillot Jaune »

all yellow (jaune)

3/0 thread
six saddle hackles
bucktail
brass dumbell eyes

Half-and-Half or Deceiver style
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foam loop Hex emerger »

Hook: 3xl Curved-shank nymph hook
Thread: brown 6/0
Tail/trailing shuck: Tan Polar Fiber
Side tails: sili-legs nymph, barred orange, one each side
Body: “underfur” from the Polar Fiber, used as dubbing
Rib: tying thread as above
Back: two strands sili-leg nymph, barred orange
Emerger wings: closed cell packing foam cut into a strip, doubled and tied in on top.
Legs: sili-legs nymph, barred orange tied “madam X” style.
Thorax/Head: dubbing same as body
Eyes: Medium mono nymph eyes, or home-made melted monofilament.
Markings: brown and yellow sharpie pen, a few bars on the shuck and a few small markings on the sides of the abdomen.

Fairly straight forward, nothing tricky except be careful to not trap the legs when winding the dubbing thorax and head.
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Black Betty »

Hook: Mustad 3366 1/0
Weedguard: 25lb Mason
Thread: 3/0 monocord
Tail: furled Tiffany yarn
“Legs”: black/blue holograph sili-legs
Body: furled Fun Fur, palmered
Eyes: yellow 3D holographic

Flatten barb of hook, and tie in a length of 25lb hard mono in the traditional style.
Twist and furl a length of Tiffany. Brush it out with a fine brush, and tie in along the hook shank, stopping thread a the beginning of the hook bend. Cut excess about 3 or 4 mm behind hook eye, keeping a uniform body thickness. Wrap thread back to the tail tie-in point.
Center 3 or 4 strands of leg material across the shank at the tail tie-in point. Wrap several figure-8s around the legs, tying them in perpendicular to the shank.
Twist and furl a long length of Fun Fur, creating a “chenille” and tie it in at the same spot as the legs. Sweeping the fibers back with one hand, wrap the Fun Fur forward with each wrap touching the previous one. Stop 5 or 6 mm back from the hook eye and secure the chenille with a couple wraps of thread.
Tie in 3 or 4 more strands of leg material as described above, then bring your thread to just aft of the hook eye.
Continue to wrap the Fun Fur forward, trapping the front legs between wraps. Tie off and trim the excess.
Secure the front of the weedguard in the traditional style.
Brush out the fibers of the body with a small brush or comb. Separate a clear space for the eyes just at the front of the body.
Glue on each eye with a dab of “Goop” or “Shoe Goo” type sealant.
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