Watch This Video and Learn How to Tie a Fly Fishing Fly From a Pro
If you're going fly fishing, there are a few essentials you'll need to bring with you. Other than your fishing license, you'll need our fly fishing rod and of course - fly fishing flies.
Tying flies is one of Tyler Morris's hobbies and also part of his job at Western Anglers. (Other than being a fly fishing guide.) This is how to tie a fly fishing fly from a pro at Western Anglers.
- 1
Step One: Secure It
The first step in tying your fly fishing fly is securing the hook in your vise. Tyler uses a Umpqua u202 size 14 hook and a black 2.2 mm tungsten bead.
- 2
Step Two: Start From the Back
The second step is to start wrapping your fly from the back. For Tyler's signature mountain midge fly, he likes to use two strands of wire - purple and copper.
- 3
Step Three: Tie on the Tail
After you've secured your wire, step three in tying your own fly fishing fly is to tie on the tail. Tyler Morris uses a pheasant tail to make the tail of the nymph.
- 4
Step Four: Build the Belly
Now that your tail is tied on, use the thread to build up an abdomen profile. Using nice even wraps, warp the abdomen from the tail to just shy of the bead with two strands of wire. This creates a two-tone wire abdomen. Wrap it a few more time with thread and trim the extra wire.
- 5
Step Five: Straggle String
The fifth step in tying your fly fishing fly is to tie in some light blue straggle string behind the tungsten bead. Wrap this around the hook to build up a thorax thicker than the abdomen. Tie off your straggle string as close to the bead as possible and trim.
- 6
Step Six: Whip It and Stick It
The final step in tying your fly fishing fly, is to finish it off with a whip finishing tool and some glue to hold it all together. Now you've got one of Tyler's signature mountain midge flies.