Tying the Grim Reaper

Step One:

First, start a thread base 2/3 of the way up the hook shank, and secure the wire with a couple of wraps.

Step Two:

Then you secure the tinsel to the hook shank in the same place as the wire.

Step Three:

Now you wrap over both materials at the same time while keeping them aligned with the side of the hook nearest you, following the contour of the hook to keep the under-body uniform, down and around the bend of the hook.  After you’ve completed wrapping the wire and tinsel, you need to advance the thread to original tie in point.

Step Four:

Now, wrap the tinsel forward and tie off.

Step Five:

Next, counter wrap the wire and tie off.

Step Six:

Now you can dub the thorax, covering where you tied off the tinsel and wire.

Step Seven:

Next, you tie in the hackle by the tip, in front of the dubbed thorax.

Step Eight:

After the hackle is tied in, wrap 3 or 4 turns of hackle and tie off. Now, you need to pull back the stem of the hackle and give it a few wraps and then trim off.  This helps to keep the thread head neat. To finish off, build a thread head and whip finish.

Tying the Fish Skull Emerald Shiner

Step One:

Lay down a thread base. Tie in your tinsel at the back of the hook.

Step 2:

Advance thread. Wrap tinsel forward and tie off.

Step 3:

Tie in 6 strands of Silver Flashabou.

Step 4:

Tie in the white marabou for the belly.

Step 5:

Tie in the first wing of Silver Grey Ice Dub on top of the Silver Flashabou.

Step 6:

Tie in the second wing of UV Pearl Ice Dub.

Step 7:

Tie in 3 more strands of Silver Flashabou on each side of the fly.

Step 8:

Tie in the third wing using Sculpin Olive Marabou.

Step 9:

Using a Size 3 Mayfly wing burner, burn 2 razor foam gill plates. Tie a gill plate on each side. Whip finish.

Step 10:

Place a drop of Crazy Glue Gel on the thread head. Insert fish skull. Re-apply thread and build a slight thread head in front of Fish Skull for a more durable and secure fly. Whip finish.

Step 11:

With a Sharpie or other permanent marker apply par marks on the gill plates as shown.

Tying the Reverse Tied Wooly Bugger

Step One:

Lay thread base. Add lead (optional).

Step Two:

Advance thread to the front of the lead. Tie in Marabou. Wrap back to the bend of the hook. This will keep the body uniform, as opposed to tieing in the marabou at the bend of the hook and creating a bulge.

Step Three:

Tie in 4 strands of Krystal Flash.

Step Four:

Wrap back, separating evenly on both sides of the tail.

Step Five:

Advance thread to the eye of the hook.

Step Six:

Tie in the base of the hackle stem directly behind the eye.

Step Seven:

Secure bare hackle stem to the shank by wrapping toward the back of the hook. This will ensure a solid tie-in of the hackle without slipping.

Step Eight:

Expose the thread core of the chenille before tieing in to reduce bulk. Tie in chenille behind hackle.

Step Nine:

Advance thread to tail.

Step Ten:

Wrap chenille back and tie off with three tight wraps of thread.

Step Eleven:

Wrap four turns of hackle at the eye and palmer the remaining hackle back. Secure hackle with three tight wraps.

Step Twelve:

Palmer thread up through the hackle. This will reinforce the hackle, the main reason why I prefer to tie this fly in reverse. Comb hackle back and build a thread head. Whip finish.

Step One:

Place whip finish tool on top of thread while holding onto the ball bearing as shown (use as little tension as necessary for control)

Step Two:

Raise the bobbin and release ball bearing

Step Three:

Bring handle of whip finish tool up to the level position and bring your bobbin thread across the thread coming from the hook as shown.

Step Four:

Now lower the bobbin hand creating a triangle...rotate the whip finish tool away from you keeping the thread at a 90 degree angle to the hook shank.

Step Five:

Wrap 4 - 5 times

Step Six:

Pop thread off rear notch of whip finish tool as shown

Step Seven:

Pull down on bobbin directing the whip finish hook to the hook shank.

Step Eight:

Do not release whip finish hook until it has reached the hook shank.