How to Tie Marabou Flies

The peacefulness of fly fishing doesn't start on the river. When tying your own flies, there is a sense of calm before the fly hits the water. Tying a marabou streamer fly only requires a red string and a plume for the material. A few basic fly-tying tools will allow you to tightly spin the fly and give it the appearance of a real fly. The fly uses red thread to form the body and head and has a plume, usually white, puffing from the top, though the color of the plume is up to you.

Things You'll Need

  • Hook
  • Needle-nosed pliers
  • Red thread
  • White plume
  • Scissors
  • Fly-tying vise
  • Whip finisher
  • Thread bobbin
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pull the thread away from its spool and clip the curled end off. Mount the thread into the bobbin by clamping the bobbin to either side of the spool. Push the thread through the bobbin tube. Suck the tube to get the thread to through if you have a problem.

    • 2

      Mount the curve of your hook into the vise. Straighten the barb with needle-nose pliers if you want a barbless hook. Simply hold the pliers over the barb and squeeze. Wrap the thread around the straight part of the hook. Tie it through the hook eye.

    • 3

      Choose a white marabou plume, or a different color, for the fly and separate the plumes with your fingers. Measure the plume to 3/4 of an inch longer than your hook.

    • 4

      Hold the plume against your hook and tie the thread around it on the straight part of the hook. Make a few soft wraps and then a few tight wraps around the plume to secure it tightly. Clip the excess thread. You want the plume to be on the outside of the hook.

    • 5

      Wrap the red thread just below the eye of the hook until a small "head" forms. Ensure there is still some plume coming out from the head. Put the thread into the whip finisher.

    • 6

      Pass the whip finisher over the end of the fly five times. Pull tight the thread on the whip finisher. Clip it close to the fly so there are no loose ends.