How to Apply Tinsel on Fly Hooks

Live bait on the edge of your hook will cause a fish to bite. But if the fish is not attracted to the bait in the first place, it will never notice your hook is there. This is why for successful fishing adventures you will need to create attractive bait hooks. Decorate your fish hooks with feathers, yarn and metallic tinsel. Make sure that when your hook goes by, the fish won't be able to let it pass without giving chase. Increase your catch with self-wrapped tinsel bait hooks.

Things You'll Need

  • Fish hook
  • Yarn
  • Thread
  • Fishing feathers
  • Tinsel
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Thicken the fish hook by creating a base of thread. Take a spool of yarn and begin wrapping it around the straight-edged stem of the hook. Begin at the end opposite the hook and work your way back toward the hook. Be careful not to get your fingers caught in the hook. The amount of yarn you create as your base should thicken around the hook stem. Just how thick depends on the amount of tinsel and decoration you plan on adding. If you want to add a lot, the thread base will be fine with one or two overlaps. Cut the yarn.

    • 2

      Add in a section of feathers to the hook. Choose fluffy ones that will move freely and flow well when the hook is under water. Anchor the feather material onto the hook stem with simple thread or yarn. Use additional colored yarn if the fish in your area seem to respond to this. Make one final overlap of yarn, being careful to leave a puff of the feathers at the edge of the hook. Make sure that the feathers cover and disguise the hook. Cut the thread.

    • 3

      Attach the tinsel to the hook over the feathers and yarn. Neatly wrap it around the hook stem away from the hook. You want to create a bait hook that, when in the water, is visible and inviting. There are many different colors of tinsel to choose from. Those that reflect light well from the surface of the water such as silver and gold work well and will attract fish. When you have wrapped the tinsel completely around the stem, stop just before the hook. Use some thread to anchor the tinsel but only a small amount. You do not want to cover the tinsel. Do not cut the tinsel from the hook yet.

    • 4

      Tie a small amount of thread around the hook at the point where the tinsel wrapping ends. Tie this thread in a tight knot, securing the last bit of tinsel to the hook stem. Look at your hook. You should be observing a combination of yarn and thread with tinsel brightly showing as the top layer. The feathers should not be visible on the stem but should stick out beyond the actual hook. If your hook looks like this and all is secure, cut the tinsel thread above the knot. Your hook is now ready for live bait.