SexyFlies Mistress Tying Instructions
In order to tie a Mistress you will need, in addition to your vise, bobbin, scissors, and head cement:
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hooks (Gamakatsu SC-15 or equivalent);
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Danville Flat Waxed Nylon thread (or equivalent);
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Sexy Fiber in the color(s) of your choice;
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flash material (we use Fire Fly from Hedron for our larger flies, and Flashabou Accent for the smaller ones);
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a small brush;
- Witchcraft 3-D eyes (sized to fly)*;
- Zapadapagoo 2;
-Sharpie markers, red and black (color tyer's choice).
*For size 1 hooks we use the 1/8th inch eyes, for size 1/0 the 3/16th inch eyes, and for size 2/0 and 3/0 the 1/4th inch eyes. The fly in this example is tied on a 2/0, and will resemble a small menhaden when finished.
1.
Start the thread and wind it to the bend of the hook.
2.
Take a sparse clump (a pencil lead in diameter or less) of Sexy Fiber and tie it in at the bend of the hook. It's easy to tie these flies too bushy, so be careful! The "tail" should extend out about one and a half times the length of the hook shank. The excess should extend forward, past the eye of the hook.
3.
Bend that excess material back on itself and tie it in. Extend it a bit past the bottom clump, and snip off the excess and set it aside. Taper the wraps smoothly, and hit them with some head cement.
4.
Take the clump of fiber you just set aside and tie it in in front of the first clump. Extend the ends out farther again. You want the taper to get longer and longer as you go.
5.
Bend that excess material back on itself and again tie it in. Extend it a bit past the clump below, and snip off the excess. Taper the wraps smoothly, and hit them with some head cement.
6.
Tie in your flash material. Here I used pearl Fire Fly. Again, don't get carried away. Five strands or so on each side is plenty.
7.
I wanted a bleeding minnow, so I've added a touch of red fiber. This is, of course, your option.
8.
A clump of gold fiber has been added. Again, make the tail a bit longer and extend the excess out in front.
9.
Bend that excess material back on itself and again tie it in. Extend it a bit past the clump below, and snip off the excess. Taper the wraps smoothly, and hit them with some head cement.
10.
Tie in some more flash material. Here I used gold Fire Fly. Again, don't get carried away. Five strands or so on each side is plenty.
11.
Take another sparse clump of blonde Sexy Fiber and tie it in as a cheek, angling down past the hook point on your side of the fly. As you can see, the excess material is sticking up in the air, out in front of the fly.
12.
Bend that excess material over to the other side of the hook and tie it in to make a symetrical match to your side. If it's too long, just snip off the excess. Hit the wraps with a bit of head cement.
13.
Take your top color (in this case chocolate raspberry) and tie it in in front of the cheek wraps. Again, the excess sticks out past the eye of the hook.
14.
Fold the excess back over the fly and finish tying in your wing. Try to work the fibers so that you spread this top layer around the top half of the fly. Whip finish and cement the head.
15.
Remove the fly from the vise and brush it out.
16.
Then use your scissors to trim it to shape.
17.
Here's our fly, brushed and trimmed. We could fish it this way, but we are going to do the finish work.
18.
Remove a pair of eyes from the paper backing and place them sticky side up somewhere on your tying bench. Place a drop of Zapadapagoo 2 on the end of a toothpick (or your bodkin). Use the Goo to pick up one of the eyes. Smear the Goo around on the back of the eye, then place the eye into position. Repeat the process on the other side of the fly.
19.
Here is the almost finished fly. We could fish it this way, but we are going to finish the job first. Use a red Sharpie marker to add "gills," and a black marker to add spots, barring, or whatever you like. To my menhaden I've added spots.
20.
Here is the finished fly. The spots could be a bit darker perhaps, but as soon as the Goo dries it's ready to fish. As you can see, it's a very sexy fly!
Click here for tying directions for the Slender Minnow!
Click here for tying directions for the Bendback!
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