LashMax Leech

Been wanting to furl LashMax eyelash yarn for a while. Makes for a somewhat fluffy critter (above water), but I bet it makes a good leech-like creature beneath the surface. Found a description of a tie similar to what I wanted to try here. I substituted LashMax for Disco yarn with mine. Furled colors are Black Star (black) and Electricity (purple). Its hook is an Eagle Claw 249WA-3/0.

Paradise Woolly Baitfish

A jig or a fly?  It's about 3-3.5 inches long.

Materials:

• Spirit River Real-Eyes Plus 7/32" Dumbbell Eyes - nickel/yellow.
• Eagle Claw Weedless Hook 249WA-1/0.
• Bernat Boa Yarn - Mocking Bird #81104.
• Lion Brand Suede Chenille - Ecru (discontinued).
• Danville Flymaster Plus Thread (140 denier) - fl. blue.

Back To Tying...

My latest bass tie is called the Boa Yarn Crawler.  Used a new-to-me technique to make its tail with an eyelash yarn.  It's called furling.

Furling is the process of twisting a section of yarn, attached to the hook shank, so that it will twist onto itself when its tag end is tied back to the shank.

Materials:

• Spirit River Real-Eyes Plus 7/32" Dumbbell Eyes - nickel/yellow.
• Coats & Clark Trilobal Polyester Embroidery Thread (40-wt.) - Chona Brown #51.
• Lion Brand Suede Chenille - Canyon (discontinued).
• Bernat Boa Yarn - Dark Mink #46913.
• Kiwi Boot Lace - brown.
• Eagle Claw Weedless Hook 249WA-1/0.

The tail is extremely limp and lightweight.  Total lure length is approximately 5 to 6 inches.

Slightly Off Topic

This YouTube video ad is a hoot. :)

Half Hitch Finishing Knot

A very fine video.

When you tie your first jig or fly, this is the knot to use.  The pen barrel is a clever idea for flies.  Apply head cement or nail polish to your finishing knot in order to prevent its slippage.

More Gray Eighths

Heads are dotted with black acrylic paint and coated with 2 part epoxy.  Plan to try a few ties with poly yarn after I've visited the fly shop.

Prototyping The Spellman 1/8 Gray

These jigs have been drawing some attention in the state of Kansas and in other fishing circles.

Here's my very first prototype:

More on its materials to come later.  Future versions will have dotted eyes. ;)

The Bearded Grub Spinner

Materials:

• Grizzly craft fur - black/white.
• Gamakatsu Weighted Superline EWG Hook 74415-1/8 (1/8 of an ounce, size 5/0).
• Hammered-silver #1 Colorado blade, split ring, and swivel.
• Gloss black powder paint.
• Spirit River Dumbbell Eyes 3/16" - nickel/pearl.
• Lion Brand Suede Chenille Yarn - Ebony.
• Tandy Premium Leather Remnant - dk.brown/black.
• UTC Ultra Thread (140 denier) - black.
• Danville Flymaster Plus Thread (140 denier) - white.
• Coats Nylon Upholstery Thread - black.
• Kiwi Boot Lace - brown.

To secure the swivel, the upholstery thread was looped though one of the swivel eyes and tied directly to the hook shank with black Ultra Thread.

The Purple Prince Jig

Materials:

• Gamakatsu Weighted Superline EWG Hook 74415-1/8 (1/8 of an ounce, size 5/0).
• Coats & Clark Trilobal Polyester Embroidery Thread (40-wt.) - Electric Violet #378.
• Spirit River Real-Eyes Plus 7/32" Dumbbell Eyes - nickel/yellow.
• Pro-Tec Powder Paint - purple.
• Tandy Premium Leather Remnant (3 or 4-oz.) - purple.
• Yellow craft fur from a bolt.