Prince of Pike

Tying instructions

1. With the hook in the vise, start the mono a third of the shank behind the hook eye. From this position, secure the flat tinsel and Larva Lace material. Wrap the tinsel to the hook bend and back, maintaining even layers of the material. Secure with a few wraps and trim the excess.


2. Pull the Larva Lace material so that it lays flat across the top of the hook shank, right on top of the tinsel. Tightly secure the material to the shank with mono wraps that start from the tie in point and go to the hook bend and back. From there, take the remaining free Larva Lace material at the hook bend and tightly wrap forward to the tinsel tie off point behind the hook eye. Secure with several strong wraps of mono, and trim the excess.


3. Invert the hook in the vise so that it lays hook point up and with the shank at a slightly elevated angle. This will help to keep the wing materials above the plane of the belly (tinsel and Larva Lace material) when they are tied in. This is necessary to keep the fly riding hook point up in the water.


4. Tie in a sparse underwing of Super Hair just ahead of the tie off point for the tinsel and Larva Lace material. To ensure a tapered appearance to the fly, stagger the hair fibers and then trim one end flush. Tie the Super Hair in by the flush end. Add a layer of Krystal Flash on top of the underwing, and then add another sparse layer of tapered Super Hair. I tend to make this layer a different color than the first. With all wing materials, ensure that they are tied in and secured above the belly of the fly.


5. Top the entire wing off with some sparse Icelandic sheep hair. This can be of the same color as the second layer of Super Hair, or of a slightly contrasting color. Don`t overdo the sheep hair; you want enough for movement in the water, but not so much that it makes the fly too heavily dressed. Once the hair is tied in, whip finish the mono. The tying portion is now complete.


6. Add your favorite prismatic or 3D eyes and seal the head area with some five minute epoxy. If the finished fly isn`t tapered to your preference, complete the process with scissor work to the wing materials.

Note: In the interest of preventing fouling of the wing materials during casting and fishing, a light coat of Softex can be applied to the upper wing between its tie in point behind the hook eye and the bend of the hook itself.