Mar 25 2008
Tying the Usual
The Usual is a very simple fly to tie, and can easily be accomplished by anyone who is starting to tie flies, due to the fact that it is very forgiving. When I tie the Usual, I prefer to use a #10 Mustad hook. I have found this size to be most efficient when fishing for trout. The first step when tying the Usual is to wrap a base layer of thread along the shank of the hook. (I chose a light yellow color for this fly because it blends easily with the hare’s fur.) This layer helps to keep materials such as fur and floss from sliding around the hook freely. When wrapping this layer, it is best to wrap the thread at a slight angle, evenly working just a single layer of thread to the start of the bend in the hook. It should only take about 6 turns to reach the bend.
When you have a base layer of thread along the shank, it is then time to select the hare’s fur for the tail of the Usual. The best fur to use is found usually on the pads of the rear paws, and on the Hare’s ears. When you have selected the desired fur from which you wish to make the tail, tie the fur toward the back top of the shank, securing it with a few winds of thread. When placing the fur, it is important to lay it so that the length of the tail, from its base, is the equivalent length of the body. Also, it is important that the tail is not too dense because you do not want the tail to be more buoyant than the wing. If this happens, the fly will have the tendency to float tail up. If you complete the fly and this occurs later while fishing, it can easily be fixed by thinning the tail using a fine pair of scissors.
When you have set the tail and are satisfied with its placement and size, it is time to begin the scarlet body. Cut a piece of scarlet floss about 3-4 inches in length. Attach the floss, securing it with just a few wraps on thread.
Once the floss is secure across the top of the hook shank, wrap the floss down the shank, IN THE SAME DIRECTION as the thread. If you wrap the thread in the opposite direction as the thread, than it will loosen when you try to secure the floss. Continue the floss almost entirely down the shank. After this, secure the floss by wrapping the end of it with a few twists of thread.
When the floss is secure in place, cover the shank in a thin wrap of Hare’s fur dubbing. For the best results, select fur from the ears or the back on the hare. Attach the dubbing to the thread using either a dubbing wax, which can purchased at many fly shops, or simply use ear wax, or spit. I personally prefer to use spit due to the fact that, unlike wax, the spit only allows the fur to stick to the thread during the dubbing process, and later separates from the thread, allowing it to become fluffy, thus making it more buoyant.
When the dubbing is complete, select a tuft of hare’s fur, again from the pads of the paws, or the back. This tuft should be about twice the length of the shank. Attach the fur by laying it perpendicular to the shank, and securing it with cross wraps. In the end they should look like an X holding the wing in place.
When the wing is in place, twist the wings upward, and secure them by wrapping dubbing around the base of the upright wings.
After you have secured the wing, complete the fly by constructing the head using just thread, without dubbing material. Finish the head with a whip finish, and glue using either head cement, or simply clear nail-polish. Fluff the wing and tail, and Viola! The Usual!
