Tussle Bug Page 2

Bring your tying thread forward to just behind eyes. Put a drop of superglue in front on figure eight wraps where the eyes meet the hook shank. Do a couple more figure eight wraps over wet glue, and trim tying thread.  Invert the hook in the vise (the hook rides up on a tussle bug).  Begin weaving the fly body until it reaches the dumbbell eyes.

The Tussle Bug involves a simple “granny knot” type weave. To accomplish this, two contrasting colors of material are tied onto a hook. The weave starts at the rear of the hook just before the bend.  After your two strands of material are tied in, do a half hitch and cut off the tying thread. Turn the vise to a position where the hook eye faces you. Let both strands of material hang down naturally below the hook. Tie a granny knot with the two strands, MAKING SURE THE DARKER STRAND IS BEHIND THE LIGHTER ONE WHEN YOU BEGIN THE KNOT.  Do not pull the tag ends of the strands to tighten the knot.

Separate the darker strand from the lighter one with your fingers and put the dark one on top of the hook shank and the lighter one below the shank. Now, pull the on the tag ends of the strands and tease the knot as far back on the shank as possible.

Repeat this process, making sure the dark strand is in the back of the granny knot when you begin, and the dark strand ends up on top of the hook when you separate the two strands. After a few of these knots you will see a very nice woven body pattern emerge.

Hold the two tag ends of woven thread together and twist them into a “rope” about 3 times. Lay this over the eyes and tie it down in front. Trim the ends of rope, wrap tying thread to make a nice Charlie type head, whip finish and head cement.

After forming the Charlie type head, whip finish and cement the head.

The Tussle Bug is only one of many flies you can tie using this technique.

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