Salmon Fly Tutorials -- The Jock O'Dee Pattern - Addendum

Jock O’Dee - Addendum



As described by T. Pryce-Tannatt in his book: How to Dress Salmon Flies: A Handbook for Amateurs.

I got to thinking about the way that I tied in the wings on my Jock O’Dee pattern and the more I thought about it the more it bothered me. As I said in the step-by-step, it works for me, but it’s not the correct way to do it.

So, here’s the correct way.

I tied these wings in on a flossed and ribbed body, but I did not go back and re-tie the pattern. I used red for the body because everything seems to stand out well against red in a photo. Use this technique and you’ll be tying a true Dee style wing.

1. After the body is complete, take two paired Cinnamon Turkey wing slips, with the stems still attached, (just like in Step # 19 above) and form them into the shape that you want for your wing. Then hold the far wing slip against the side of the body. Now, put your thumb on the top of the hook and put your index finger under the slip and against the hook, and move the inner edge of the far slip to a position in the middle of the hook. Press down with your thumb and index finger; this will be your “post” for mounting the far side slip. Next, put a soft loop around the far side slip and compress the barbs by pulling the thread slowly upwards; not towards you. Put on another soft loop and tighten it down the same way as the first. Then, remove your thumb and index finger and check the placement of the far side slip. If it looks good, the take 2 more tight wraps [Note: be sure that you’re using flattened thread when you compress the slip; otherwise your thread can act like a knife and cut the barbs as you tighten the thread down.]



2. Now, mount the near-side wing slip exactly the same way. This time, it will be easier, because the inner edge of the far side slip acts as a post or stop against which to tighten down the near side slip.



3. Next, cut off the waste ends of both slips on a slant; so that they form an arrow pointed at the hook eye.



4. Finally, form you head with tying thread and coat it with head cement; like SHHAN. Here’s the finished wing from the top:



And from the side:



Now you’ve got the correct way to mount these Dee style wings.


Pocono