How to Tie a McGinty Fly

The Black Laced McGinty fly is a gem for luring warm water fish. Bluegill, trout and pike, for example, are attracted to the wide barbs and bold colors of the fly. The Black Laced McGinty resembles a bumblebee in its black and brown body. Anglers tying a McGinty Fly hand pick bird feathers and attach them to add width and dimension to the body. Clamp a mustad hook -- size 10 to 12 -- just below the barb for safe handling and expeditious tying.

Things You'll Need

  • Mustad hook
  • Hand clamp
  • Black uni-yarn
  • Red hen neck feather
  • Black and yellow chenille
  • Black and yellow American hen neck feather
  • Scissors
  • Head cement
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wrap one full layer of uni-thread from the hook eyelet, along the shank, back to the curve of the barb.

    • 2

      Pinch and remove the barbs from the center of a single hen neck feather.

    • 3

      Place the barbs on top of the hook shank so that the ends of the barbs stretch and fray beyond the hook bend. Wrap uni-thread around the barbs to secure them in place.

    • 4

      Loop the shank with black yarn the same as step one.

    • 5

      Place a three-inch piece of yellow chenille on the body -- identical to the barbs -- and secure with the yarn. Repeat with black chenille.

    • 6

      Make the "bumble bee-like body." Pull the black chenille toward the eyelet. Loop the yellow chenille twice or three times around the base of the black chenille. Release the black chenille. Pull the yellow chenille forward toward the eyelet and repeat the looping process with the black chenille. Repeat this step until upi cpver the entire shank in black and yellow chenille.

    • 7

      Spread wide the barbs of a black and yellow American hen neck feather.

    • 8

      Tie the bottom tip of the feather with thread under the eyelet of the hook. Wrap the body of the feather twice or three times around the head of the hook. Fray the barbs outward to add width to the body.

    • 9

      Tie the feather in place. Snip excess thread. Secure the bond of the fly under the eyelet with head cement.