Purple Haze

[Roadkill]

Here is my new Purple Haze tied on a smaller Mustad 36890 #6 using the smaller Medium Opal Mirage.

First I lay in a thread base using a tag end to slide the thread wraps next to each other.
RIMG9194 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

Then I tie in the tail.
RIMG9196 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

I tie in the mylar at an angle, so the rib is ready to wrap forward nice and flat through the dubbing.
RIMG9197 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

Next, I loosely wind the dubbing around the thread.
RIMG9198 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

Dub the shank, wind the rib and tie it off.
RIMG9199 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

I prepare a hackle to tie Alec Jackson style so I can wrap the final wraps with 2 turns of bare stem on a bare hook shank.
RIMG9200 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

I don't want to cut off the tip later, so I trim the end to tie it all in under the thread.
RIMG9201 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

I add extra thread wraps to hold the hackle securely while I use scissors to fold one side.
RIMG9203 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

RIMG9206 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

RIMG9208 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

I back off the extra thread wraps, wrap the hackle, and then the bare stem twice around the bare shank and secure it with thread.
The bare stem is tucked off underneath the return eye shanks, cut off, and the head finished.
RIMG9209 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

Fly is finished with head cement.
RIMG9210 by William Lovelace, on Flickr

[letumgo]

Thank you Bill, for an excellent tutorial. I like your techniques with the tinsel rib and hackle stem. Little details like that are priceless.

[Partsman]

Thanks for the sbs Roadkill, love that style and the color.
Mike.

[Roadkill]

Thank you Bill, for an excellent tutorial. I like your techniques with the tinsel rib and hackle stem. Little details like that are priceless.

I have to say my tying has been influenced by many marvelous tyers. I haunt fly shops everywhere I have a chance.

I have learned from great tyers and beginners at shows and expos around the Pacific Northwest. I started with the Oregon Northwest Fly Tyers Expo in 1997 and since have learned from others in Idaho, Washington, and Montana. Many are also members of the Forum. I have to give credit to all those I have watched tying Full Dress Atlantic Salmon Flies who know several remarkable ways to do the same thing.

The hackle and stem techniques are directly from Alec Jackson, who kindly shared his tying skills and remarkable tales of his travels and business adventures. John Shewey taught me the scissors folding.