Spawn Blog

Pete is at it again spreading the holiday cheer! Not only does this offer a great last minute gift idea but the details involved will help you improve every aspect of how you tie midges that will continually produce fish! Enjoy and happy holidays!

"Hand tied flies are a great way to spread some holiday cheer! Not only are they a meaningful gift, but they truly keep on giving. What begins as a simple fly and kind gesture may ultimately result in the first fish of a lifelong obsession or to a personal trophy that has nothing to do with the size of the catch. Make sure to tie a couple for yourself. The fish can’t refuse."

-Pete

Materials List:

Hook: Daiichi #1120 size 10

Bead: Hareline Dazzle Brass Bead 1/8” Pearl White

Weighted Wire: NL .015

Thread: UTI Red 70 denier

Rib: Ultra Wire Small White

Collar: Nature’s Spirit Peacock Sticks Green

Head Cement of your choice

Loon UV Clear Fly Finish  Thin

Step 1: Place your bead on the hook and then secure the hook in the vise.

Step 2: Wrap 10 turns of weighted .015 wire onto the hook shank. After cutting and flattening both ends slide the wraps of weighted wire into the back of the bead. These wire wraps not only hold the bead in position and add weight, but they also play a crucial role in the overall profile of our finished fly.

Step 3: Begin your thread on the hook behind the wire wraps. Cover the wire wraps with thread.

Step 4: 

Tie in a piece of small, white wire. Brassie would also work. When you tie in the ribbing wire it should rest against the weighted wire wraps and should stay on top of the hook shank. The distance down the hook bend you wrap the body is a subjective preference. This is where I happen to end my midge bodies. Wrap the thread all the way back to behind the bead. We’ve now taken one pass down and back up the hook shank with our thread.

Step 5: This next step may be new for some, but it is a crucial skill to develop when tying smaller flies. Carefully spin your bobbin counter clockwise for a few seconds. This will flatten the thread and make for a much smoother body. After you’ve flattened your thread wrap down the hook shank roughly 7/8 of the previous wraps and then bring the thread back to behind the bead.

Step 6: We will once again spin our bobbin counter clockwise to flatten the thread. On this pass we will wrap halfway down the body and then back up behind the bead. You should now have a nicely tapered midge body.

Step 7: Wrap your ribbing wire in the opposite direction you wrapped your thread body. Tie off the wire with 4-5 thread wraps. Bend the wire back and trim the excess so the cut piece fits between the bead and last wrap. This will give you a better section of wire to tie down for a stronger fly.

Step 8: Completely wrap down the cut wire.

Step 9: Tie in 2-3 peacock herls. I like to tie them in by the tips, but about an inch from the ends of each herl. The tips are very brittle, so coming down some for the tie in will help with broken herls. Once the peacock is tied in wet your fingertips slightly and gently spin the herls together. This will add a touch of strength (a very small amount) as well as produce a fuller and more consistent collar as we wrap.

Step 10: Take as many wraps of peacock as needed to reach the bead. This example used 5 wraps. Tie off the peacock herls with 3-4 thread wraps.

Step 11: After trimming the excess peacock herls, wrap a clean thread collar and whip finish twice. Carefully apply some head cement to your thread collar.

Step 12: Carefully apply a thin layer of Loon UV Clear Fly Finish Thin to the thread body. Cure with your UV torch. This step can be done before the addition of the peacock herl. You can also use head cement in place of UV resin. The longevity of your fly will be greater if you cover those thread wraps with one or the other.

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Pete is at it again! This time with a "Christmas Leech" pattern.  As always no detail is left to question. Follow along to learn, improve, and bring this killer fly to life! As always everything you see is live and available on our site!

"Whether for your own fly box or as a stocking stuffer for a fishy friend, the Christmas Leech is sure to spread some good cheer. Not many gifts have form and function. The Christmas Leech not only carries a festive charm, it also happens to crush in the water! Naughty and nice wrapped in one little bundle."

-Pete 

Materials List:
Thread: UniThread 6/0 Red
Hook: Ahrex TP650 size 1
Bead: Spawn Super Bead 6.3mm Gold
Weighted Wire: Lead Free .020
Tail: Olive Mega Simi Seal
Body: Olive and Watermelon Red Mega SS
Feathers: Mallard Flank Fluorescent Cherry Red
Head cement of your choice.

Step 1: Before placing your hook in the vise, slip on the 6.3mm Spawn Super Bead. Insert the hook point through the small eye in the bead and then position your hook in the vise.

Step 2: Wrap 15-20 turns of .020 non lead wire on the hook shank. Slide the wire into the back of the slotted bead to position snugly behind the hook eye.

Step 3: Start your thread behind the wire wraps. Securely cover the wire wraps with thread and a bit of head cement to prevent any future slipping.

Step 4: Tie in a small clump of olive Mega Simi in the middle of the fibers. Use 4-5 thread wraps to tie in and position, then bring your thread in front of the clump with two wraps of thread. Having the thread in front of the clump before you bring it over the previous fibers will ensure having the most secure tail tie in possible. Vital any time you veil any material.

Step 5: Bring the remaining fibers over the back of the hook bend and tie down to cover your initial tie in wraps. 

Step 6: Trim the top fibers from a mallard flank feather. We’ll be tying in the feather by the tip with the top, or convex side facing upward. The fibers of the feather should match the length of the Simi tail fibers.

Step 7: Before wrapping the feather, wet your off tying hand fingers and gently stroke all the fibers toward the rear of the hook. Having the fibers damp and positioned before wrapping feathers will make it much easier to prevent trapping fibers as you wrap. My preference for this application is to wrap the feather with the flat, concave side of the quill to be facing the hook shank as compared to the side of the quill. Use the style that makes you happiest.

Step 8: Here you can see the quill is flat against the hook shank. This style results in a tighter finished look.

 Step 9: Take 3-4 turns of the mallard feather keeping the fibers stroked back and untrapped with each wrap. Tie off the feather with 5 strong thread wraps and trim the excess feather.

Step 10: Prepare your thread loop directly in front of the mallard feather tie off. For this fly the material ladder should be right around 5 inches. It is comprised of half olive and half watermelon red Mega Simi Seal. Spin your loop, brush out and wrap up the hook shank. When you wrap a loop it is very similar to a feather in that you should use your off hand to make sure all the fibers are facing rearward and not being trapped under your turns of the loop.

Step 11:This is roughly what your fly will look like after wrapping the loop forward and tying off.

Step 12: Thoroughly brush out your fibers and comb them back toward the hook bend.

Step 13: Prepare your second mallard feather the same as the feather we used for the tail. The tie in is also the same. Remember to wet your fingers and coax the fibers back before you begin wrapping.

Step 14: After 3-4 wraps of the feather tie off and remove the excess. Make a secure, clean thread collar behind the bead and add two whip finishes. Add some head cement to the thread wraps and go catch some fish! 

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   We understand that times are difficult and to support something does not mean you need to spend money. Every like, post, share, word of mouth as well as every time you read this blog, you are helping support what we are trying to create! We hope that everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving Holiday and you enjoy this Black Friday themed blog!

   By now most of us can can probably list three variations on fishing bright flies for bright days and dark flies for dark days. A simple philosophy time tested and proven effective. But one tone or color that seems to defy any cliches and flat out produce across all conditions would be black. When the variables of depth, size, profile or number of nickels in your left pocket have been exhausted, many times the simplicity of a black variation of the fly you’re using can tip the odds in your favor.

    To envision the profile of a black or very dark fly silhouetted against a full moon gives us a clear understanding of the visibility benefit to a fish when a fly is backlit. Great. 99% of fly fishing is typically done in daylight. We factor in dark, cloudy days that some of us brave and we still have the vast majority of our fishing days in rather pleasant conditions. Why would a black fly work across the board? And if they work so well, which they do, why aren’t we fishing them more often?

     The most versatile camo option for aquatic insects, terrestrials, leeches and other food sources commonly available to fish is going to be black to some very dark shades of brown and olive. Even if the coloration is more vibrant, fish often feed near the bottom of the water column where color is much less important. The darker to black tones backlit by any penetrating rays of light will be exactly what the fish are accustomed to seeing. Based on water clarity and light conditions a black fly can still be quite versatile by changing only the amount of flash used. You can easily adapt from an extra flashy attention grabber to a single piece of flash on a black midge to coax that nervous rainbow.

     Having flies from streamers to droppers in black variations is a mainstay for my fly boxes. Not only are they great for productive fishing, but they easily translate as a learning tool for beginning tyers or fly fishers. Children young and old can look at a black fly and rather quickly make the connection as to why a fish might find a black bug irresistible. Try it for yourself. The fishy rewards of adding more black flies to your fly box just may be enlightening.

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Pete is not only one of todays great tiers but is also one of the best teachers in the industry. His attention to detail, technique and encyclopedia of tying knowledge can answer any question that may arise. He's been on a scud kick lately and we are excited to share with you this awesome step by step! 

"When you’ve put in the effort to hike to that alpine lake or you’re cruising your local pond there’s never a bad time to toss a heavy scud. Get it down where the big fish of still water lore can’t resist a chubby morsel served on a shiny, albeit pointy platter. Tie a dozen; tie strong knots and tie off some time for a great fish story."

-Pete 

Beaded Scud Materials List:

Thread: Uni Thread 6/0 Gray
Hook: Daiichi 1120 size 10
Weighted Wire: Non Lead .020
Bead/Parasitic Hot Spot: Hareline 5/32” Gritty Tungsten Red
Antennae: Nature’s Spirit Mallard Flank Medium Dun
Rib/Wire: Ultra Wire Silver size Brassie
Back: Thin Skin Clear with Black Specks
Body Top/ Flash: Snake River Fly Dark Salmon Krinklezon           
Body: UV Pink Steel Spawn Simi Seal
Head cement of choice
Resin: Loon UV Clear Fly Finish Thick

Step #1: Pinch the barb on your hook and slide on a sz 5/32” bead with the hook point going through the large opening first. It will make it easier to secure with weighted wire in the next steps. Place the hook in the vise.

Step 2: With the bead behind the eye, wrap 7 turns of .020 non lead wire at the hook curve. Clip off and smooth off the cut ends.

Step 3: With the bead now near the rear of the hook, add 8 wraps of .020 at the front of the hook. Again smooth off the cut ends with the inside of a curved scissors.

Step 4: Now pinch the wires together so that the bead rests roughly above the hook point. As one of the forward wraps of wire goes into the back of the bead you now have a balance of underbody wraps which is the base for a balanced finished fly.

Step 5: Wrap down the front section of wire wraps with thread. As you begin to add the second layer of thread add just a touch of glue or cement. Use your off hand to maintain the position of the rear wire wraps and the bead. Tie off with a whip finish and start the thread behind the rear wire section.

Step 6: As you over wrap the rear section of wire, decide where you want your antennae to splay. At that point add 4-5 thread wraps to build a bump. This bump will tell you how far down to wrap your next materials as well as help the mallard fibers to naturally spread.

Step 7: Tie in a clump of 10-12 mallard fibers the length of the body. This top view shows how your fibers should splay once tied down to the thread bump we made.

Step 8: Your thread wraps should come back toward the rear of the wire. Trim the mallard fibers and continue your thread to just behind the bead.

Step 9: Cut a 6” section of brassie sized silver wire. Tie it on underneath the body. You can see that where the wire sits in relation to the mallard fibers insures we wont disturb them when we wrap the wire. Secure this wire with 2 passes of thread wraps.

Step 10: Cut a strip of Thin Skin that is roughly the same width as the hook gap. Adding a tapered cut to your Thin Skin may be helpful when tying in. Another key is to wrap at a slight angle front to back with your thread as your off hand keeps the material directly on top of the hook shank. What you don’t want to have happen is your thread begins to dig into the Thin Skin. Keep your thread wraps going OVER the Thin Skin, not digging into it.

Step 11: Tie in the Thin Skin all the way to where your thread wraps ended for the mallard fibers. Don’t be scared to use two layers of thread to secure the Thin Skin so there is no chance for it to slide before being pulled over as the scud back.

Step 12: Tie in a clump of Krinklezon just smaller than a pencil thickness. Keep the Krinklezon on top of the hook shank. As we pull it forward in later steps, it will want to travel to the sides enough. For the sake of a clean, tight fly make sure the Krinklezon fibers are tied down all the way to where the Thin Skin was last tied down.

Step 13: Make a 4” dub noodle with the Simi Seal. You can adjust if you need to add more as you wrap. Start wrapping your dubbing directly behind the bead all the way back to the Krinklezon tie in. At that point continue dubbing a second layer back to the bead.

Step 14: Ideally as you wrap the last of the dubbin in the rear of the fly the thread will be bare as you cross it over the top of the bead at a 45* angle. This will be covered by our following materials. Advance your thread to the end of the wire wraps. As we repeat the dubbing process in the front of the fly, keep in mind the amount of space behind the hook eye. We still have some bulky elements to pull forward, so keep and eye or two lengths of empty space where no Simi Seal accumulates. It will save frustration later.

Step 15: After dubbing back to the bead and forward for 2 layers and a clean tie off area behind the hook eye. If you keep your thread at the base of the wire wraps instead of behind the hook eye it will help prevent your thread from slipping a wrap off the end.

Step 16: Pull over all the Krinklezon fibers in one snug group on top of the body. Use 4-5 firm thread wraps to securely tie down the flash. Add 7-8 thread wraps between the Krinklezon fibers and the hook eye. This builds a small thread dam which will keep the hook eye clean on the finished fly. Bring the thread back onto the original tie off wraps and back as far as you can where the wire wraps end.

Step 17: Pull over the Thin Skin. You should pull it snugly over the Krinklezon and tie off with 5 firm thread wraps. The reason we can pull the Thin Skin back with some tension is because of our careful thread wraps at the tie in. Make sure the Thin Skin stays directly over the top of the hook as you tie it down.

Step 18: Wrap the silver wire in even spaces, gently wiggling back and forth as you wrap to ensure proper seating. As you wrap the wire pay attention to keeping the leading edge of the Thin Skin under the wraps to avoid cutting, and keeping the Thin Skin on top of the hook as you tighten and progress the wire rib.

Step 19: After securing 2-3 wraps of the silver wire tie down and trim the excess. Trim the Thin Skin carefully so as to not disturb the Krinklezon and to leave a clean cut. At this point trim the Krinklezon to body length. Trim out half the fibers to match the sparseness of the mallard fibers.

Step 20: Use your bodkin to pick out the Simi Seal around the wire rib to fill out the entire underbody. Once they look buggy trim them to the length of the hook point.

Step 21: After checking the top of the Thin Skin to make sure there are no Simi fibers stuck anywhere, apply two even, thin layers of Loon thick UV Clear Fly Finish. Make sure to cure thoroughly between the first and second layer. Your scud is now ready to find some fish! 

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Articulated FNF Creeper Leech:

Not all flies have to be pretty. They do need to catch fish. This fly is a great example. Simple, perhaps not exactly frame worthy, but more than willing to produce when the regulars just aren’t working. Have some fun with this pattern. That’s the ultimate catch. 

Materials:
Weight - .015 Non Lead Wire
Hook - Ahrex SA280 sz8
Thread - Uni 6/0 Orange
Tail - Orange Squirmy Worm
Body - (both sections) FNF Creeper Prawn
Shank - Spawn Micro 60* Jig Shank
Collar - Orange Hareline Mallard Flank
Bead - Hareline Mottled Tactical Slotted 3.8mm
Loon Hard Head 

Step 1: Place your hook in the vise. Watch your fingers as you’re tying. Short shanks and sharp hook points require one’s attention.

Step 2: Begin your thread on the hook shank and cover down to where the shank begins to curve. Wrap back a few turns of thread so you are roughly one-two hook eye lengths shy of the eye.

Step 3: Tie in a section of Squirmy Worm that leaves a tail just a bit longer than the length of the hook and shank combined. When you tie in the Squirmy material it may be easier to begin it on the near side of the hook shank facing you. This material has a lot of give and this will help you to secure it eventually on the top of the shank. Make at least 3 full back and forth passes with your thread.

Step 4: Tie in a section of FNF Creeper about 6 inches long. This will give you enough material to cover both the hook and jig shank. Make sure your Creeper is tied in all the way back to your previous thread wraps so that as you begin to wrap the Creeper it will act as a natural guide for the tail, preventing any chance of the tail fouling. Advance your thread to the hook eye.

Step 5: Wrap the Creeper up the hook shank with touching wraps. For this example I used 5 wraps. Tie off securely and make a neat thread head. Apply 2 whip finishes and apply some cement to the thread wraps. 

Step 6: Before attaching your hook to the jig shank, slip your bead onto the shank. Attach your hook to the Spawn 60* Micro Jig Shank with the point of the hook facing upward. Apply enough wraps of .015 non lead to be able to slide into the bead to hold it in position. As you can see in the photo I then use the tag end of the wire to meet where the shank arm will meet the shank. Securely cover the shank and wire with thread wraps and a thin coat of cement.

Step 7: Tie in the remaining piece of FNF Creeper. As you wrap keep in mind the spacing we will need for the mallard collar.

Step 8: Wrap the Creeper up the shank leaving roughly one bead length of room for the tie off and the feather collar.

Step 9: Select a mallard feather with fibers that will reach just past the trailing hook. Since the Creeper body has the legs protruding there is not much chance of any fibers interfering with the hook point. Trim the fibers at the tip of the feather for a tie in section. You want to begin wrapping at the point the fibers become fairly uniform in length. Tie in your feather with the top (convex) side facing the ceiling. As you wrap your feather you must guide the fibers in your off hand to face the rear of the fly. Having wet fingers will make this much easier. Also take your time and try to not trap any fibers as you’re wrapping.

Step 10: Wrap your mallard flank feather 2-3 times to fill in the collar space. Tie off and remove the excess quill. After making a neat thread collar whip finish twice and apply cement. Thanks for tying along and we can’t wait to see what you all tie and catch with this pattern!

Be sure to checkout Pete on social for many more amazing flies tied using Spawn. @blueriverflies! Here are a few of his variations of this fly!

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