In 2017, we launched a series of videos called “One-Minute Fly-Tying Tips and Techniques” from Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions. Each video will teach a single tying skill, from the most basic to the advanced. Ultimately, the series will serve as a sort of encyclopedia of tying skills that will be a valuable resource for anyone who sits down at a vise to create a fly.
Adding some ribbing to a fly pattern serves several purposes: it creates segmentation that mimics natural insects; it adds flash, color, or translucence; and it adds to a fly’s durability. Here, Tim demonstrates the proper methods for ribbing a fly, and I’ve always loved the way he braces the hook shank with the tip of his bobbin and “helicopters” the wire to break it off clean.
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