A few years ago, we launched a new series of videos called “One-Minute Fly-Tying Tips and Techniques” from Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions. Each video will teach a single tying skill, from the most basic to the advanced. Ultimately, the series will serve as a sort of encyclopedia of tying skills that will be a valuable resource for anyone who sits down at a vise to create a fly.
The first time I taught a fly-tying course with Dave Klausmeyer, editor of Fly Tyer, he told me to watch the students carefully when it came to using dubbing. “They’ll try to put half a rabbit on the thread,” Dave said, “So you have to show them how a little goes a long way.” In this typically great video, Tim shows how you can pull just a bit of dubbing from a clump, aligning the fibers so that they’ll spin around the thread easily. Once you’ve got that thin dubbing noodle, you can wrap a nice, smooth body on the hook.
