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 Fly Tying Feature Archive:RLS Supervisor:
Here are Ken's complete instructions for tying the RLS Supervisor. Refer to the model at the top or bottom of the page. Return to the Introduction if the significance of a step eludes you. Everything has been finely tuned for optimum performance.
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Details:
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| Length: You are limited only by the length of the feathers available to you. |
| Hook: 253NA, Eagle Claw, all sizes. This hook is made from carbon steel and is very light and strong. It is not expensive but adds a nice "look" to a fly. |
| Thread: White |
| Platform: White or red bucktail. The hairs of the bucktail are tied to support the saddle hackle and keep it suspended so it will swim with the slightest touch of current. This is done by spreading them to form a fan or broom-shaped configuration. First, 30 of the longest hairs are placed on top of the shank of the hook directly above the point. Cut the ends of the bucktail where you want the body to end to form an even underbody foundation for the Pearl Mylar braid body to be wound upon. (Body length should be approximate distance from point to barb). Then wind the thread up to the cut ends and back down to just above the hook point. Next, lift and spread the bucktail and slip the tying thread under it and pull forward and tighten to stiffen and support the hair in place as a platform. |
| Pillow: Take a little tuft of the fluff from a white or red feather and dub it around the thread for about an inch. Then wind this dubbing around the base of the bucktail hairs where they begin to spread (above the point of the hook). The pillow is a convenient way of dealing with the tendency of hackle stems to twist and not lay where you want them. The neck hackle used in the support step (next) has a stem that is ordinarily much thicker and often distorted in cross section. Using the little tuft of dubbing to seat the stem works very well. It works with the natural shape of the stem. |
| Support: Take a neck hackle from the center of any white or red neck hackle and remove a single feather that is stiff and strong, approximately half as long as the full length of the saddles you choose for the tail. Remove the fibers from the first inch and dampen the butt end of the remaining fibers. Place the stem directly on the top of the pillow curve side up and wrap two turns of thread around it gently to hold it in place. The feather will lie along the top of the hook with an upward curve like a banana with its stem fastened. Grasp the tip of the feather with the tips of the fingers of one hand and the bare stem of the feather with the tips of the fingers of the other hand. Slowly pull the feather forward from the stem, holding the tip to insure that the feather does not move sideways, this will seat the stem in the soft dubbing exactly where you want it. Then wind a few turns of thread up the feather along the shank of the hook to secure it without moving the feather from its position by pushing it with the torque of winding the thread. Cut the stem of the feather at the end of the underbody and even it up by winding the thread forward and then back, returning it to just above the hook point. |
| Tail: You'll tie in three saddles. The first and shortest is white. Take this narrow, straight, and thin-stemmed white saddle hackle and hold it vertically by the butt of the feather. Ideally the feather will have a small amount of web running from the butt up its entire length. Notice where the shaft of the stem changes in thickness from the heavier butt section and tapers to the thin diameter that runs all the way to the tip of the feather. Strip the fibers off this transition zone, leaving the stem bare for about 1/2 inch to an inch. Do not cut the feather. Leave it full length. Lay the saddle on top of the neck hackle, curve side down, and repeat the support feather steps:
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| Body: Tie in Pearl Mylar braid on the bottom of the hook shank and wind the tying thread forward while keeping the tag end directly under the shank, cut the tag end of the braid, and leave the thread positioned at the end of the underbody. Then wind the Mylar braid forward, half-lapping each previous turn and finish the body by tying the braid off on the bottom of the shank and then cutting off the end. |
| Collar: Bucktail, 30 hairs white, 2 1/2 times the length of the hook, tied to veil the bottom 2/3 of the body and flow into the wing. |
| Cheeks: Bucktail, mix 3 hairs pink and 3 hairs flourescent yellow to blend them. |
| Topping: two layers- the lower layer is 5 strands of light blue bucktail mixed with 5 strands of light green bucktail; Over this tie in 7 strands of peacock herl, full length. |
| Eyes: Jungle cock. |
| © 1999 |
Tying the RLS Nine Three: Introduction Tying the RLS Nine Three: Complete step-by-step instructions Tying the RLS Supervisor: Complete step-by-step instructions (you are here) |
