Twist of Lemon

The Twist of Lemon

Global FlyFisher

This fly uses a special technique where a strand of floss and a strand of tinsel is twisted together before the combo is wound on the hook shank. The rope - if twisted regularly enough - will form a nice segmented body with built in ribbing. The name of the fly is divised from this technique and the fact that it's made mainly from yellow materials. A similar fly without the twisted body is Orange Twist.

The twisted body

Global FlyFisher

1. Cover the hook shank with a smooth layer of light thread. Let the thread hang down to reach the hook point

2. Tie in a strip of narrow silver tinsel and wind it to reach a point above the point of the barb and back
3. Tie down and cut surplus
4. Take a strand of yellow floss and a similar strand of oval silver tinsel
5. Tie in both at the tag
6. Wind the thread forwards, form a smooth foundation of thread for the body
7. Twist the floss and tinsel counterclockwise using hackle pliers.
8. The twist should form a tight and even rope
9. Wind the rope forwards in close and even turns to a point 1/4 shank length behind the hook eye
10. Tie down and cut surplus
11. Dub some red flash dubbing on the thread and form a short, dense thorax
12. Tie in a yellow hackle, tip first and hackle stem upwards
13. Wind the hackle clockwise in wet fly style, folding it over and stroking barbs to the rear of the hook
14. 2-3 turns will suffice depending on the hackle
15. Tie down and cut surplus
16. Whip finish the light thread and tie in the black
17. Form a nice, small head from black tying thread
18. Whip finish and varnish