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How to Make Fishing Flies at Home

How to Make Fishing Flies at Home
The idea behind fly fishing lures is to alleviate the need for live bait. No more "fishing" out pieces of chopped fish, digging for night crawlers or wrestling worms on the hook. The lure that you make and attach atop your hook is used to entice the fish, to incite them to give chase to the bait. Making fishing flies can be intimidating at first, but no matter your level of expertise, you can complete your own with just a little patience and a few tools.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:
  • Scissors Thread Size 8 fishing hook White quill Black quill Dubbin (a wax or lacquer) Small, stiff paintbrush
  • Scissors
  • Thread
  • Size 8 fishing hook
  • White quill
  • Black quill
  • Dubbin (a wax or lacquer)
  • Small, stiff paintbrush
Step 1
Cut a 3-foot-long piece of thread to wrap your hook. Hold the hook in one hand and secure the end of the thread to it with your thumb while you wrap the thread around the entire length of the straight area of the hook.
Step 2
Tear off a part of the black quill near the bottom, where the feather is fluffier and looser than at the top. Cut it about 1 1/2 inches in length. Now, take the white quill and cut a piece, about 1 inch long, from the top where it is stiff and allows for little movement of the feather. Attach the black feather to the hook, wrapping the thread around it several times. Remove half the feathers from the white quill and wrap the stem around the hook, next to the black one.
Step 3
Make a knot with the thread and put it next to the eye of the hook. Repeat this step so that you have 2 knots. Tighten the knots around the eye to secure your quills and keep your fish fly intact. Apply the dubbin or lacquer with your applicator or stiff brush to waterproof your fly. Allow it to dry thoroughly before using.

Tips & Warnings

 
Be sure to hold the hook securely between your thumb and forefinger to prevent cutting or nicking yourself with it.
 
Be sure to hold the hook securely between your thumb and forefinger to prevent cutting or nicking yourself with it.

Article Written By Renee Miller

Renee Miller has been writing professionally since 2008. Her accomplishments include being featured in Harlots' Sauce online magazine in January 2009 and writing for various Web sites. She studied communications at Auburn University.

Write for Trails.com

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