Hook choice.

When I first started tying blobs there was no such ting as a "blob" hook so I got used to tying my blobs on the Knapek L hooks generally in size #8. These hooks have a long open bite which is one of the reasons I like them so much for both blobs and unweighted woolly buggers. I continue to use those hooks for my blobs to this day but you may choose to use a blob hook or some other hook.
 

1. Put you choice of hook in the vice and wind the thread in touching turns from behind the eye of the hook to almost the bend of the hook. On the Knapek L hook I generally stop at a position that is above half way along the bite of the hook.
• Understanding hooks
2. Return the thread back along the body to the 90% position.

The tail.

When choosing a flash material for this fly, my woolly bugger type flies and for many of my salt water flies I looked for one that is fine so that it has movement in the water and has a crinkly finish so that it reflects light at different angles making it more visible. There is no shortage of tail materials that meet that criteria but the one I initially went with was Tiewell Krystalflash and I have now been using that for over 20 years. I pretty well have all the colours but the colour I like for this fly is 'pearl'.

1. Separate 5 strands from the hank of Krystalflash
• Managing synthetic fibres

1. Trim the 5 strands of Krystalflash off the hank, bring the tips together and double it up and whilst holding the tips fiemly, cut it in half at the apex of the bend.

1. Without releasing you grip on the 10 strands of Krystalflash position it along the top of the hook shank so that the tips extend an equal amount over the front and the back of the hook and tie them in at the 90% position with a couple of firm wraps of thread.

1. Pull the tips that extend over the front of the fly over the top of the fly and lock them in on top of the tips that extend over the back of the fly with a couple more firm wraps of thread.

1. Lock them into position on top of the hook shank all the way to the bend of the hook. This will give you with a tail of 20 strands of Krystalflash. Don't trim the tail length at this stage.

The body material.

FNF chenille came on the market just a few years ago and has become my go to material for flies that require an chenille with longer coloured synthetic fibres. It is best uses either wet or with wet fingers as the fibres are then easy to stroke into a preferred position or out of the way. When fished the fibres are very fluid giving the fly more movement and are also translucent and UV.
 

1. Tie a length of FNF chenille in at the bend of the hook.
2. Take the thread forward about half way along the hook shank. On the Knapek L hook that is about directly above the point of the hook.

1. Wind the FNF chenille forward in tight touching turns half way along the hook shank. Between each wrap of the FNF chenille stroke the wet fibres back so that the next wrap does not trap any fibres from the previous wrap.
2. Tie it off half way along the hook shank and trim the excess FNF chenille away with a sharp blade.By using a blade rather than scissors you wont accidentally trim away any of the FNF chenille fibres.
3. Do a couple of half hitches at the half way position so that nothing accidentally comes undone.
• Half hitches

1. Tie a second length of FNF chenille in at the half way position.
2. Take the thread forward to behind the eye of the hook.

1. Wind the second length of FNF chenille forward in tight touching turns to behind the eye of the hook leaving just enough room to build up a neat head. Between each wrap of the FNF chenille stroke the wet fibres back so that the next wrap does not trap any fibres from the previous wrap.
2. Tie it off with a couple of firm wraps of thread and trim the excess FNF chenille away with a sharp blade. By using a blade rather than scissors you wont accidentally trim away any of the FNF chenille.
3. Build up a neat thread head.
4. To complete the fly trim the tail material so that its is no longer than the body of the fly and whip finish and varnish the thread head.