In part III of his series on Craft Fur, Tim demonstrates an ingenious method for creating tapered ends on a clump of Craft Fur. This allows you easily to create realistic-looking tails on streamer patterns. All you gotta do is split, flip . . .
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Video: Tying with Craft Fur, Part II
In part II of his series on Craft Fur, Tim shows you how he prepares a new “pelt,” and then goes on to show you how useful the underhairs can be. By saving the fuzzy stuff as dubbing, you can use it in several ways to make great . . .
Read MoreVideo: Glossy vs. Penetrating Finishes
Here, Tim explains when you want to use a glossy finish–one that stands out from the fly materials, and when you should go with a penetrating fish–one that soaks into the materials. The effects of each are quite different, . . .
Read MoreVideo: Tying with Craft Fur, Part I
Many fly-tying recipes call for craft fur, which is sort of a generic term for synthetic fur. In this first part of a series on the material, Tim explains what craft fur really is and why the stuff from fly shops is superior to the products you . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Make Distribution Wraps
Some patterns, such as the Bird’s Nest, call for hackle fibers all the way around the body, which can be a pain. But Tim has a great trick that makes the process ridiculously easy. It’s all in how you prepare the feather and then tie it in. Try it out, and your . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Add a Weed Guard to a Fly
In this video, Tim demonstrates three ways to make a weed guard on a fly pattern. If you fish anywhere where weeds will foul the hook, you’ll want to add a piece of heavy monofilament to push the weeds aside before they can get . . .
Read MoreVideo: Why You Should Trim Materials Before Tying Them In
In this video, Tim explains why he prefers to trim fibers, feathers, and hair before tying them in. It makes for a cleaner transition and perfect proportions. One of the keys is to spin your thread so that it jumps rearward on the . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Keep Slippery Materials from Spinning on the Hook Shank
One of the more frustrating things that can happen at the fly-tying vise is when materials won’t stay in place on the hook shank. Slippery hair, such as deer or elk, and dumbbell eyes have a nasty tendency to spin around the . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Use Clamps While Fly Tying
One of the hallmarks of Tim’s tying process is that he’s always looking for ways to make tying easier, more efficient, and less frustrating, and he often finds novel ways of achieving these goals. Here, he shows you how to use . . .
Read MoreVideo: How to Dub a Super-Slim Body
Getting the right amount of dubbing on your thread to make a fly body can be tough for some tiers, and the tendency is to use too much dubbing. The result is often a body that’s fatter than you want it to be, or you have to try to get the dubbing off your . . .
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