Catching The Thread

"Catching the thread"

Intro: Fly tying is an excellent hobby where materials are tied, with thread, onto a hook using certain procedures or techniques. This is sometimes called fly dressing and a series of lessons has been developed to show the techniques required to dress a basic Salmon Fly. Some of the techniques can also be used when tying other types of fly, such as brown or sea trout patterns. Once mastered many different flies can be tied and new techniques will appear as you develop. The first thing to master is catching the thread against the hook and this can be done as follows.
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	Click for full size	Diagram 1 In the diagram we start our fly tying lesson right at the beginning with, catching in the thread. The diagram helps to show the starting position where the loose end of thread is tightly gripped between the fingers of your left hand. The bobbin is held in your right hand and a steady tension kept on both. Left handers will have to adjust accordingly.
	Diagram 2 Pulling the bobbin end up to the left and over the hook shank trapping the fingers end of the thread against the hook. Make sure to keep a constant tension on both ends of the thread.	Click for full size
	Click for full size	Diagram 3 Swinging the bobbin end round the back of the hook ready for the next turn, never once releasing the tension. This is very important, the thread will slip if the tension is released, even momentarily. You may break the thread a few times by pulling too hard but with practice the correct tension will quickly be learned.
	Diagram 4 Another full turn round the hook again catching in the fingers end, which is now trapped twice by the successive turns. This movement is repeated at least 5 or 6 times before you can release the bobbin and let it hang by its own weight. This now frees your hands enabling you to trim of the loose fingers end of the thread. Wind the thread onto the hook in fairly close turns up to the bend of the hook and you are ready to tie in your first piece of material.	Click for full size

Step by step photographic lessons of Salmon Flies are in my eBook