suggestions on dressing treble hooks?

[spoof85]

hey guys,

I've been dressing treble hooks to "spruce up," some french spinners for my brother...

i having an issue with bulk...

the best i have gotten so far is starting the hackle toward the bend, (where ever the length looks best) 2-3 turns back toward the eye, cut waist hackle, loop in crystal flash if necessary, then wrap back to the bend(s) laying the hackle back as i go, then touching wraps back to the eye smoothing any bumps along the way, tie off..

the hackle looks fantastic, but the thread bulk is ridiculous.... i do about 2 to 3 turns with 2 saddle hackles, that is usually enough for the desired look, i would try only using one to reduce bulk, but mixing colors looks better..

if anyone has a better method, or any suggestions, let me know...

thanks guys,
spoof

PS- i haven't been on for some time, and i really do miss talking to all of you...

[ScottP]

Just brainstorming here - how about tying on a tube and then slipping that over the treble shank? Even if you don't have a tube flytying set-up, you can slip some heat-shrink tubing over a fairly thick needle and have at it. Just me, but I'd think it would be a lot easier than trying to tie on a treble.
Also, you're concerned about thread buildup - what size thread are you using?

Regards,
Scott

[ronnie_mckee]

I use 210 flat waxed nylon thread. When tying treble hooks I work all three sections of the hook. I lay down a base from the eye to the hook point then back to the eye, coat the thread with superglue. I then place the tailing material in one section (of the three) and make one wrap to hold the material and do each section the same way. If adding flash I tie it in the same way using only one wrap to hold each section around the hook. Buy this time the thread should be even with the hook point and you can make one run of thread back to the hook eye. Coat thread with Sally Henson.

Ronnie

[spoof85]

OK, so you tie in separate clumps, rather then wrapping hackle? (Ronnie)

[quivira kid]

I have nothing to offer here, except that spinner looks fantastic!

[Fatman]

The spinner looks good but I'm having trouble seeing where you have bulk in your pictures. If your only using hackle, and a few strands of krystal flash use regular 6/0 fly tying thread. No matter how well you tie them fish will tear them apart. If you use cross cut zonker strips you'll have to cut them in half or cut the hair off and tie in between the tines of the hooks.

Plain and simple - trebels are a pain to tie, but they do make a spinner look good.

[ronnie_mckee]

OK, so you tie in separate clumps, rather then wrapping hackle? (Ronnie)

You are correct with using three clumps. I don't use the stems on the hackle if the stems are big, only the tips of the hackle X3. I agree with stopping the thread at the hook points, it keeps the material looking nice.
I see nothing wrong with your spinners, they look very good but I do understand how easy it is to get bulk on the hook shank.

Ronnie

[Crotalus]

I dont wrap any hackle on the trebles that i tie, just tie in three clumps along the shank and flare them. I do tie in a thread ball at the very base to help with the flare. This is more of a mepps style. Rooster tails are tied with the hackle around the spinner shank and nothing on the hook if I remember correctly.

here is an assortment of materials

Marabou, bucktail, fox tail and fox squirrel tail




And glow in the dark flash (on a 3/0 heavy treble)

[spoof85]

here is a decent example...

WP_20131109_10_57_27_Pro.jpg
this is one of the better ones, as in less bulk... i should have wrapped a little lower in my opinion to pull the tail in tighter....
i used this...
WP_20131110_09_10_48_Pro.jpg
they must have had a problem with labeling that day lol.. i bought it some time ago, for tying 16-18 parachute sulfurs...
i made the mistake of thinking thicker was better, figured that's gonna be chewed on a bit, tried using 8/0... needless to say, a bit bulky...


as for using a tube, that's not a bad idea, wrapping with 1 barb is enough of a pain, let alone 3... but how would you get the tube to sit taught on the shaft? I've never messed with tube flies, a thread damn perhaps?

[ScottP]

how would you get the tube to sit taught on the shaft? I've never messed with tube flies, a thread damn perhaps?

Again, this is still speculation (got to find my box of Mepps spinners in the basement to try it out) but if you left the tube a bit long, you could just tie that to the hook to hold it all in place. Another idea could be to insert the feathers into a split-thread, trim them off the quill, spin them tight and wrap that, cutting out the bulk from the feather quills; done properly, you can get some neat effects.

Regards
Scott