How to Tie Yarn Flies

Yarn flies replicate salmon eggs which are a quick, high-energy food for hungry trout. Used during spawning season on salmon runs, yarn flies, while simple to tie, can be a very successful lure. When tying the fly, include a dot of darker color that replicates the oil droplet occurring in natural eggs.

Things You'll Need

  • Mustad or tiemco egg hook, Size 10 or 12
  • Orange glo bug egg yarn
  • Pink glo bug egg yarn
  • Red glo bug egg yarn
  • Uni thread, orange, size 8/0
  • Vice
  • Bodkin
  • Needle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut two 1-inch pieces of orange glow bug yarn. Split them in half, creating four 1-inch pieces.

    • 2

      Put the hook in the vise and secure it. Attach the orange thread to the hook about halfway down the shank.

    • 3

      Wrap one piece of orange yarn down to the hook shank and place a thin strip of the red yarn on top of it.

    • 4

      Wrap the thread around the yarn twice, cinching it down on top of the hook shank and slowly tighten to secure. Clip the excess ends of the yarn.

    • 5

      Turn the hook over so the hook shank is now facing up and the yarn tied mid-shank is on the bottom.

    • 6

      Tie another piece of orange yarn on top of the other piece of yarn midway down the hook shank. You will now have two pieces tied to the shank. One orange piece on top of the shank and one orange and red piece underneath. Wrap the thread around the yarn twice and tighten it.

    • 7

      Rotate the hook in the vice until the left side is facing you and repeat the above steps, tying in another piece of orange yarn.

    • 8

      Rotate the hook one last time so the right side is facing you and repeat again, tying in another piece of orange yarn.

    • 9

      Turn the vice right side up and tie off the thread with a whip finish, cementing it.

    • 10

      Pull the yarn straight out from the hook and trim it in a circular pattern. Continue trimming until it is all uniform and in a nice circular shape. Tease the yarn with your bodkin, then again trim until it resembles a nice round orange egg with a slightly darker red spot on it.