Dirty Bird Spey

Materials

How to Tie the Dirty Bird Spey

1. 1

   Step 1

   Clamp the K5263 hook in the vise and start the thread on the shank near the eye.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Lash the dumbbell eyes on top of the shank just behind the hook eye with crossing wraps until they sit firm.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Pass the trailer wire through the eye of the Octopus hook and bring the ends together along the shank, with the stinger hanging behind the bend of the K5263.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Bind the wire down along the full length of the shank with tight thread wraps, then trim any excess wire. Leave the thread at the back of the shank.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Turn the fly over in the vise so the dumbbell eyes face down. The rest of the fly is tied on this side.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Tie in the UV Polar Chenille at the back of the shank, wrap it, and tie it off. Trim the excess so the fibers flare back around the stinger wire as a tail.

7. 7

   Step 7

   Form a dubbing loop at the back of the shank and bring the thread forward to just behind the eyes. Load the loop with Senyo's Dirty Bird Dubbing and spin it into a long, wispy rope. Wrap the rope forward to just behind the eyes, tie it off and trim it.

8. 8

   Step 8

   Stroke the dubbing back and pick out any trapped fibers so they trail over the stinger.

9. 9

   Step 9

   Tie in white ostrich herl just behind the eyes so it runs back past the stinger as a wing. Trim the butts.

10. 10

    Step 10

    Tie in a mallard barred flank feather just behind the eyes, laid flat over the ostrich with the tip running back along the wing. Trim the stem.

11. 11

    Step 11

    Dub the Ice Dub around the dumbbell eyes to form a small head, then bring the thread to the hook eye.

12. 12

    Step 12

    Whip finish behind the hook eye and cut the thread.

13. 13

    Step 13

    Tease the Ice Dub out with a bodkin so the head blends into the wing.

14. 14

    Step 14

    Cut the bend off the K5263 hook behind the body so only the stinger hook remains.