OnLine Fly Tying Course Part #2
On Line Fly Tying Course Part #2 Weight & Ribbing
In this article, I’ll be expanding on the techniques and materials used in the first caddis nymph and showing you some new stuff in this one I’ll call Caddis Nymph #2. While the dubbing techniques are the same, I’ll be covering the easiest way to add weight to a nymph and a technique called "ribbing"……
The purpose for adding weight to a nymph is to get it to sink so that it finds it’s way to the depths that natural nymphs exist. The amount of weight you end up using is pretty easy to control, and can be tailored to the rivers you plan to fish. Ribbing, a term used to describe both the material AND process of wrapping it onto a fly, is used to create the appearance of segmentation on the fly you’re tying. Almost every kind of aquatic insect has a segmented body, typically most apparent on the abdomen. It’s usefulness goes beyond the realm of insects though~ribbing can add an element of realism to baitfish imitation as can be seen on some of the oldest salmon fly patterns.
Some ribbing is for aesthetic reasons alone, while the use of wire ribbing adds additional weight~a feature most nymphs can benefit from anyway. So, somewhere between the amount of lead wire and the material chosen for the ribbing, you can get some ideas as to just how heavy, and flashy a particular pattern is meant to be. Substitutions in ribbing color and material are often changes tiers make to personalize a patterns to suit their tastes, and those of the fish. I know from personal experience that there are times when, for whatever reason, trout simply WON’T take a flashy-looking nymph. I tie my top 2 or 3 nymph patterns in flashy and non-flashy versions. To be more specific about one of them, I substitute natural copper wire for black copper wire. Subtle change~yes. Worth it~yes, at least to me. So then, here goes LESSON #2
This one will address,
1.Adding weight~lead wire
2.Ribbing
Hook:Standard nymph hook, size #16-#10
Thread:Brown 8/0
Weight:Medium lead wire
Ribbing:Medium copper wire
Body:Blended rabbit fur dubbing, natural, dark brown and black.
A WORD ABOUT LEAD Yes, lead is a toxic substance and some degree of care should be taken when using it. Be sure to wash your hands after using it, or at least when you’re done tying. In fact, I don’t even answer the phone until my hands have been washed! This is the safe thing to do, as is keeping WELL out of reach of children and pets. Unlike the rest of the small scrap generated in fly tying that can be scattered artfully throughout the house via your socks, be sure to discard the unwanted bits of lead carefully.
OPTIONS~There are lead substitutes available if you don’t want to use lead and, while they are getting better, generally don’t do the job as well and are not as soft/easy to use.
***Using your heavy scissors***
Cut a length of lead wire about 3" long. In about the same manner as you started your thread (holding the lead wire down tight with your left hand, the other end up above in your right under some tension) make somewhere between 6-10 wraps of lead. Again, the number depends on how heavy you want your fly, the hook size etc. My personal rule is that if I CAN’T fit at least 8 wraps of lead, I’m probably using too heavy a gauge of wire. Again, adjust to suit YOUR fly. Trim tag ends, or unwanted portion of the wire and take note of the amount NOT needed so that you can cut the right amount on the next fly.
Note: Lead wire is available on spools, not unlike the kind your tying thread is on. You may find that buying it this way and getting an extra bobbin to load it into makes using lead wire allot easier and less wasteful. It took me about 5 or 6 years to make this $7.00 investment. Hey, stubborn bad habits die hard! (you don’t need ceramic bobbins for this, buy a cheap one)
Using your thumb nails, compress the wraps of lead by pushing from either end.
Creating thread "dams." It is critical at this point to secure the lead in position on the hook’s shank so that it does not slip forward or back. You may think you have it tight enough, but water, fish teeth, snags can all effect how this soft metal behaves. Start your thread in about the middle of the thread wraps in the same way you start the thread on any fly.
Wrap it forward and make several wraps in front of the lead.
Wrap it all the way down the lead until you’re past the lead and on the hook shank again. Make several wraps and trim the tag end of the thread.
Wrap the thread back towards the eye and create a taper between where the lead ends and the hook shank. Wind it back to the rear of the hook shank and create a similar taper or "dam."
***Using your heavy scissors***
Cut a length of copper wire and hold the tip against the hook shank. On a fly with lead, I’ll usually hold it up to about where the thread wraps end near the rear of the fly. If the fly has no lead wire, hold the end of the ribbing material up to the shank somewhere between the middle and rear of the hook shank. (roughly, the shank directly above the hook’s point)
Make a few light wraps of thread over the wire to secure it, then make several tight ones. Wind the thread over the ribbing material back on the hook’s shank to about the point where you plan to start your dubbing.
Using your blended rabbit fur dubbing (natural color) dub about 3/4 of the hook shank creating a slight taper near the rear of the fly’s body as shown. When you’re done this step, you thread should be hanging near the front "dam" of thread.
Grab the copper wire and, while keeping it very tight, begin to wrap it forward. To give the fly a realistic look, you’ll want to space them a little closer together near the rear of the fly gradually opening up the wraps as you wrap it (or "rib" it) forward.
Once you’ve reached the end of the dubbed portion you’ve planned to rib over, hold the wire up with your right hand, grab the your bobbin with the left.
Holding the copper up and out of the way, use your left hand to make several tight thread wraps around where the wire ends.
As a right-handed tier, this means lifting the bobbin over the back side of the vise, letting go of it, bringing your hand back around to the front of the vise, pulling tight and repeating. Once you’re satisfied that the copper wire rib won’t
start to unwind, cut the tag/unused end off and make several very tight wraps over it.
Now to complete this pattern, switch to the dark brown blended rabbit fur and dub a small section as shown.
Dub a small section of the black blended rabbit fur.
Stroke the fur back to allow room for a thread head. This is often necessary when using any fur or feather with fibers that are long enough that they block or crowd the eye of the hook when they get close to it.
The finished fly
There you go~easy! Practice these techniques until they become second nature. There are countless fly patterns that rely on the ability of the tier to understand these techniques. They truly are foundation skills that we will again be building on in coming articles. Good luck, Rob
