Fly Tying Basics

LH=left hand; RH=right hand BOE-back of eye; BOH-back of head
Just starting? 1. Select a hook; this is a standard dry fly hook 2. flatten the barb with a pair of fine nosed pliars 3. mount hook in vise jaws so the lower bend is in the jaws, as shown: NOTE: hook wire is completely within the vise jaws, the point is visible, where the barb was is visible, the shank is above the plane of the jaws 4. tighten jaws so hook does not slip out, or move NOTE: there is a happy medium to tightness: too tight can break the hook or the jaws; too loose, the hook can pop out of the jaws while tying and facture a jaw. It's not a boxing match, rather a fly tying session.
TIP: the majority of thread wraps are made over, then under the shank, so around the shank
After mounting the hook, start the thread, left. 1. hold the end of thread on near side of shank 2. move bobbin over shank and make 2-3FA wraps, followed by 2-3 BA wraps 3. trim excess 4. wax thread
Thread Directions are FA, BA, FS, BS: F-forward; B-back; A-adjacent; S-spiral 4BA indicates 4 back spiral wraps of thread for example.
A short pictoral explanation follows
Thread control matters. The most basic elements is how much thread to use- how mant wraps, and where. Purposeful wraps are always either adjacent, side by side, or spiral, separated. Use wide spirals to move thread forward or back, or closer spirals to secure an element to the hook. Always finish FS wraps with 1FA wrap, and so on, to keep thread from slipping. WHEN 1 wrap will serve, don't use 2: extra wraps of thread do not make a fly more durable fly, but wastes time and thread. My instructions are very specific on threazd direction and number of wraps.
I colored a section of thread with a marker: the turns here are FA: forward adjacent of thread
FS - forward spiral wraps of thread. BS are in the opposite direction
BA - back adjacent wraps of thread
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