Defranks Fly Tying Tutorials & Videos

The Keeled Over Minnow

2012-02-22T23:44:00.000-08:00

This is one of my newer patterns designed featuring a Fish Skull which sports a keel and can be mounted to the hook up or down and ultimately determining if the hook rides inverted or not. In this case, I have designed the hook to be bent at mid shank with a 30 degree angle for better hook set and the Fish Skull placed keel down / hook point inverted, which I may iterate is the last component added to the fly by sliding it over the hook eye. Finn Raccoon accompanied with some flash and rubber legs gives it great action.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel Defranksflies and be the first to see all new video releases. Once I post to YouTube they make it here and last to my web site where all pattern recipes and the specific materials needed for them are available to shop thru at www.defranksflies.com. (web site video segments take more time to upload, so please be patient.

Stay tuned for more content!

Steelhead Blood Worm

2012-02-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

Perfect your technique on uniform bodies made of vinyl rib (D-rib)

This fly was one of our best producers for Steelhead this Fall Guide Season.

CLICK HERE to Visit our web site for pattern recipe and fly tying supplies!

Foam Extended Body Green Drake Spinner (Coffin Fly)

2012-02-14T10:07:00.001-08:00

The Hare'e Stone

2012-02-08T06:33:00.001-08:00

Hump Back Pheasant Tail

2012-02-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

DeFrank's Fish Skull Emerald Shiner

2010-09-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

DeFrank's Fish Skull Emerald Shiner

Recipe:

Hook: Daiichi 1750 #6

Thread: 8.0 Uni Thread - Olive Dun

Bead: Blue Baitfish Fish Skull - small

Body: UTC Medium Silver Holographic Tinsel

Flash: Silver Flashabou

Belly: White Marabou

Wing 1: Silver Grey Ice Dub

Wing 2: UV Pearl Ice Dub

Overwing: Sculpin Olive Marabou

Gill Plates: Translucent Dun Razor Foam

Step 1: Lay down a thread base. Tie in your tinsel at the back of the hook.

Step 2: Advance thread. Wrap tinsel forward and tie off.

Step 3: Tie in 6 strands of Silver Flashabou.

Step 4: Tie in the white marabou for the belly.

Step 5: Tie in the first wing of Silver Grey Ice Dub on top of the Silver Flashabou.

Step 6: Tie in the second wing of UV Pearl Ice Dub.

Step 7: Tie in 3 more strands of Silver Flashabou on each side of the fly.

Step 8: Tie in the third wing using Sculpin Olive Marabou.

Step 9: Using a Size 3 Mayfly wing burner, burn 2 razor foam gill plates. Tie a gill plate on each side. Whip finish.

Step 10: Place a drop of Crazy Glue Gel on the thread head. Insert fish skull. Re-apply thread and build a slight thread head in front of Fish Skull for a more durable and secure fly. Whip finish.

Step 11: With a Sharpie marker apply par marks on the gill plates as shown.

Knotless Jointed Rubber Legs

2010-08-15T16:47:00.000-07:00

Apply a small drop of super glue at the position you want the leg to angle next pull on the rubber leg and hold for about ten seconds...the harder you pull the more angle will result.

Notice the direction of the angle from the first leg...where you place the super glue is where the elbow of the joint will be.

Both legs are complete, again notice that the elbows of the joints are on the side where I placed the super glue (eg.: hopper legs, the drop of glue would be placed on the top of the leg so that the leg would angle downward)

How to use the whip finish tool

2010-08-15T15:48:00.000-07:00

Place whip finish tool on top of thread while holding onto the ball bearing as shown (use as little tension as necessary for control)

Raise the bobbin and release ball bearing

Bring handle of whip finish tool up to the level position and bring your bobbin thread across the thread coming from the hook as shown.

Now lower the bobbin hand creating a triangle...rotate the whip finish tool away from you keeping the thread at a 90 degree angle to the hook shank.

Wrap 4 - 5 times

Pop thread off rear notch of whip finish tool as shown

Pull down on bobbin directing the whip finish hook to the hook shank.

Do not release whip finish hook until it has reached the hook shank.

Reverse Tied Wooly Bugger

2010-08-15T15:18:00.000-07:00

Recipe:

Hook: Daiichi 1750 size 6-10
Thread: white 8/0 uni thread
Tail: white marabou blood quill
Body: white chenille (lead optional)
Hackle: white whiting saddle cape or strung saddle

Tying the Reverse Tied Wooly Bugger:

Step One: Lay thread base. Add lead (optional).

Step Two: Advance thread to the front of the lead. Tie in Marabou. Wrap back to the bend of the hook. This will keep the body uniform, as opposed to tieing in the marabou at the bend of the hook and creating a bulge.

Step Three: Tie in 4 strands of Krystal Flash.

Step Four: Wrap back, separating evenly on both sides of the tail.

Step Five: Advance thread to the eye of the hook.

Step Six: Tie in the base of the hackle stem directly behind the eye.

Step Seven: Secure bare hackle stem to the shank by wrapping toward the back of the hook. This will ensure a solid tie-in of the hackle without slipping.

Step Eight: Expose the thread core of the chenille before tieing in to reduce bulk. Tie in chenille behind hackle.

Step Nine: Advance thread to tail.

Step Ten: Wrap chenille back and tie off with three tight wraps of thread.

Step Eleven: Wrap four turns of hackle at the eye and palmer the remaining hackle back. Secure hackle with three tight wraps.

Step Twelve: Palmer thread up through the hackle. This will reinforce the hackle, the main reason why I prefer to tie this fly in reverse. Comb hackle back and build a thread head. Whip finish.

Finished Wooly Bugger

DeFrank's Grim Reaper

2010-08-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

Grim Reaper Recipe

Hook: Daiichi 1760 #8 – 12
Thread: 8/0 Uni Thread (Camel)
Abdomen: Medium Holographic Tinsel (Gold)
Rib: Small Ultra Wire (Red)
Thorax: Possum Plus (Stonefly Blend)
Hackle: Brown Hen Back

Step One: First, start a thread base 2/3 of the way up the hook shank, and secure the wire with a couple of wraps.

Step Two: Then you secure the tinsel to the hook shank in the same place as the wire.

Step Three: Now you wrap over both materials at the same time while keeping them aligned with the side of the hook nearest you, following the contour of the hook to keep the under-body uniform, down and around the bend of the hook. After you’ve completed wrapping the wire and tinsel, you need to advance the thread to original tie in point.

Step Four: Now, wrap the tinsel forward and tie off.

Step Five: Next, counter wrap the wire and tie off.

Step Six: Now you can dub the thorax, covering where you tied off the tinsel and wire.

Step Seven: Next, you tie in the hackle by the tip, in front of the dubbed thorax.

Step Eight: After the hackle is tied in, wrap 3 or 4 turns of hackle and tie off. Now, you need to pull back the stem of the hackle and give it a few wraps and then trim off. This helps to keep the thread head neat. To finish off, build a thread head and whip finish.

Completed Fly

Assorted color combinations