YELLOWJACKET

Tied by Alan Fish, fish@lily.com

1) Cut the wings out of metallic twist from the crafts store. I used MPR (HighPoint,NC) brand Metallic Twist, KTC-310 Iridescent. Fold in half and cut similar to when you made hearts in the first grade. EXCEPT. Start at bottom. Just above the point, cut into the fold. This way two wings are made that are joined at the base.

(2) Debarb a 94840 size 4 (can use streamer hooks in smaller sizes, but this crowds the hook gape). Tie in at front and wrap hook with thread to and into the curve of the hook. Tie in black chenille or yarn. Wrap forward 1/16S and tie in black chenille or yarn. Take thread to ~ mid- hook. Wrap black yarn/chenille forward to thread and then back to the yellow yarn. Then BRAID* or WEAVE* the two together - Yellow on top, black on bottom, for about 4 stripes of yellow (more with chenille). Tie and cut off the yellow yarn. (A drop of Zap-a-gap at the tie-off point helps keep yarn from slipping out and causing cusswords.)

(3) Wrap the thread forward to 2/3 of the way to the eye and tie in another piece of yellow yarn. Wind the forward thread to the eye. Wrap the black yarn forward, past the yellow yarn, to the eye, and back to the yellow. BRAID* (WEAVE)* the yellow on top/.black on bottom to about 1/8S behind the eye, tie off yellow, take black to eye, tie off and whip finish.

(4) Tie thread back on at the middle. Tie V-rib on each side for legs. Lay the wings onto the mid-section upside down and facing forward. Tie the butt of the wings down tightly., taking the thread to the front of mid-section. Fold the wings back to the rear and lock down with thread Whip finish and cut the thread. Put head cement on both mid-section and head.

WEAVING SUGGESTIONS:

a. Loop the black around the yellow at the sides, taking the yellow over the top and the black under the bottom of the hook.
b.. Keep your tensions even to keep loops on the side of fly (easier said than done).
c. First loop: black in back of yellow; succeeding loops: black in front of yellow.
d. Chenille is easier to use than yarn - it doesn't stretch

* Full instructions on Weaving can be found in advanced tying books, articles in past issues of fly fishing magazines, etc. Unfortunately, these instructions can only be found when you are NOT looking for them.

Allan Fish
Greenwood, IN

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