How Leisenring tied the Tups

[GlassJet]

Hi Jerry,
Personally I don't - confession time again! Well they say it is good for the soul...

Reason being, there is 1.5 - 2 turns of hackle, stripped on one side (usually) and wrapped in turns so close they are practically on top of each other. Consequently, there is very little 'between' to wrap the thread in between! Without unintentionally misaligning barbs etc.

As Mark says, it is what works for you, and what works for me is this:

Make body of fly, tie hackle in by the tip with three touching turns back towards the eye. Then wrap hackle twice (for fishing, I find that flies seem to catch better with a bit of a 'fuller' hackle than seems fashionable for the true 'sparse' look. I've managed to satisfy myself that this is true this season, tying and fishing different versions of the Greenwell's Spider - but I digress.)
Then two touching turns to secure the hackle, again back towards the eye, then snip off waste, then three turns whip finish, well waxed.
The trick is to tie in the hackle at the right place, so that there is no appreciable build up of thread as you come back towards the eye, and the turns of thread are not 'on top of each other' but touching, so securing the hackle to the maximum effect. As I say, it seems to work for me.

Dry hackles are a different matter though - do wrap back through the hackle in that case, but there is something there to wrap through.

I will probably start a riot with this now, won't I?!

Andrew.
Edit: Something else that I suspect adds to the longevity of my flies is that the vast majority of my fishing is done on small streams, with very short, often not much more than rod length casts. So my flies are seldom subjected to that build up of speed through the air necessary for longer casts - I guess that must make a difference for the more delicate hackles Jerry is talking about.

[Soft-hackle]

Jerry,
This procedure is suggested by Leisenring and Hidy in completing the fly. I have done so on finely stemmed or delicate hackle as a precaution, but on good quality hen hackle, I've not had to do this as the stem is fairly strong. Again, it's what works best. Granted, bringing the thread through the hackle fibers does give extra strength to the fly, but to tell the truth, with a good stem on the hackle, I've had little trouble with the hackle coming unwound. Oh, it may occur once in a blue moon, but it does not occur as often as one might think.

Mark

[Jerry G]

Thanks Andrew and Mark for your timely replies. I think it was perhaps Hans that reminded me of the technique of wrapping back through the hackle. I say reminded me as I thought I had read of this procedure elsewhere. Sure enough in checking my one and only Sylvester Nemes book regarding soft hackles he clearly states to wrap through the hackle. Why I didn't start doing business that way I have no idea. Perhaps it was all other hackle I had wrapped prior to that were tied off at the front of the wraps. Like so many things in the tying and fly fishing past time, there are subjective techniques. Mark I think settles that by stating if it works for you continue on. That makes sense to me. Again many thanks gents.

Regards, Jerry

[daringduffer]

When first tying this kind of flies I followed the instructions laid out by Leisenring and others. I found it difficult to wrap the hackles since the tips are not as robust as my not-so-steady hands need. Many hackles were torn, or slipped from the hackle pliers. Then I watched Davie McPhail on YouTube and tried his technique which was much easier for me. He locks the tip in place in a clever way when the rest of the fly is tied and then wraps the hackle . Last night, after reading this thread, I tried a different method. I started with tying in the hackle (tip first), then wound the body, wrapped the hackle and tied it off. Both flies came out very nice (crimson silk, woodcock and hares poll where the pinkish hue of the poll mixed well with the silk). I will try this method with some other hackle like magpie, crow and hazel-grouse which are not as strong as woodcock and hen, for instance.

dd

[Ruard]

Hi DD,

It seems to me that you use the technique David Westwood described in one of his articles (2) on my site: www.aflyinholland.nl

I do this the same as David Westwood but tie down the tip with 3 turns of thread.


Greeting

[daringduffer]

Hi DD,

It seems to me that you use the technique David Westwood described in one of his articles (2) on my site: http://www.aflyinholland.nl

I do this the same as David Westwood but tie down the tip with 3 turns of thread.


Greeting

Ruard,

Not quite, since I tied it down with the stalk pointing over the eye, hence out of the way for the rest of the tying. The tip was then tied in as the thread was wound back to the point/barb/whatever. This was the way I commenced it yesterday.

When tying the hackle in as the last operation I lately have done it like Dave McPhail; first I tie it in like Westwood, then I fold the tip backwards an secure it with two wraps - the second behind the hackle - then I wrap the hackle and tie it down and "set" it with a zig-zag motion when taking the thread to the eye for tying off. I remember reading of the importance of "setting" the hackle - some advocated "umbrella style" , others "over-and-under". If my memory serves me, Mike Connor belongs to the second school (wings and legs).

I am just experimenting and enjoying myself, like most people.

dd

[wayneb]

Hi Mark;

You did a wonderful job with this, the illustrations and description are just right.

I noticed there's no tail in your step by step, did Leisenring only tie a tail less version.

Wayneb

[Soft-hackle]

Wayneb,
You are correct, there is no tail on this pattern. Some of the Leisenring patterns DO have tails. Some don't. I very seldom put tails on these flies. It does not seem to affect their effectiveness. In fact, I believe it improves them. Caddis don't have tails, and I think leaving the tail off opens the patterns up for more interpretation by the fish. It suggests many kinds of insects. Of course some believe that a tail can represent a shuck. Here again, the tying of the fly is left up to the tier.

Mark

[Old Hat]

Leisenring was a stickler for durability. I believe he has it down to a science. I employ his method, but didn't always. I do believe his method is superior in durability, but not how it has to be done by any means. Your instructions are great Mark but they do leave off two import steps in Leisenring's method for completeness. 1. Leisenring would have heavily waxed his thread before casting it on. So much, that he describes having to use a bodkin to remove the the excess wax from the head of the fly that is squeezed out from the process of tying it off. This is not a little wax and would lead me to believe that he thought of this as a very important step. He also states how he feels this "melds" the silk to the hook when establishing the base wraps. 2. Another important step is just before wrapping the hackle, the hackle is bent with the thumb up at a 90 degree angle so as to position it to lay correctly when wrapped. This is an important step especially if you are going to secure it behind the hackle then wrap through the hackle to the front with thread as he recommends. I will do my best to describe why I think Leisenring has the best method to employ, not to change anyone's method, but just to show my angle.

1. On tying in the hackle first
a. There is no build up of thread at the head of the fly during any process of tying the fly. Leaving bare hook to make a small, tightly finished head.

2. On tying in by the lower hackle stem.
a. The lower part of the stem is wider in diameter so it will compress more with silk wraps for no chance at slippage.
b. It is stronger and less likely to break when wrapping the hackle.
c. The larger diameter better aids in building a well tapered body to the fly.
d. There is less chance of the hackle twisting when wrapped.

3. On wrapping the hackle back.
a. Especially with short hackle feathers, the longer hackles will be at the front of the fly with the shorter to the rear of the fly.
b. This sets up cross wraps of the hackle stem and thread (not both going in the same direction) when you forward wrap through the hackle with your thread.
c. You will have a cleaner tie in behind the hackle with smaller diameter stem.
d. You should be able to snap the hackle tip off (not cut) leaving a rough end to the stem for less chance of pulling out from under the thread.
d. If you have pushed the hackle up at a 90 as described before wrapping, and prepared the hackle correctly, the hackle fibers stick out at 90 degrees from the shank.

4. On securing the hackle with forward wraps.
a. Simply durability. You're cross wrapping the hackle stem.
b. Helps in forming a base structure to the hackle fibers to help maintain them at 90 degrees to the shank and to keep them from sticking together.
c. A bit of silk showing through the hackle gives a separated leg appearance and adds to the translucent properties.

Carl
.

[Soft-hackle]

Carl,
I agree with your analysis of Leisenring's technique. My intention with the illustrations was to show how he constructed the body of the Tups (nymph), with no tying thread beneath the silk abdomen and the body being divided into halves. I felt these were two important points in tying this fly. Applying this construction procedure to other similar flies, I thought, would make them more effective.

Leisenring developed his tying techniques because he as concerned with proper construction, durability, representation of insects, and he wanted his creations to "come alive" when used. He was fastidious and meticulous-after all he was a toolmaker. He constantly dealt with exactness and precision. It is reflected in his fly tying.

Regarding the wax: I dare say the wax he used was so good, you could tie a fly without a bobbin or any weight to hold the thread in place on the hook. Jim Slattery made some of this wax, which I have used occasionally, during tying demos, as has Jim. Other tiers are astounded by the fact that one can tie like this using just wax. One must get used to the wax because it is very stiff and needs warming and manipulation to get it to work correctly. It's great for constructing dubbing brushes as well.

Mark