Tying Steps for the New "OS-3" Pattern: Otter's "Soft Sucker Spawn" Fly
(Tying directions for a 6 egg pattern, for a right hand tier, vise on left, vise jaws on right)

Click here to download Tying Instructions for OS-3 Pattern-- as a PDF.

Take the 2 x 2 mm "Soft Sucker Spawn"© material and cut to length. Use 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12 total eggs in a string for your fly, determined by the size of the hook you use. Note on one side of the double row of eggs there is a small flat "ribbon" of plastic that is visible which fills in the center and between the two egg rows, in the "V" formed by these eggs. This thin "ribbon" provides additional strength for the fly when the hook shank goes through this "ribbon", and it eliminates a true "Vee" between the rows of eggs on this one side of the egg string. The flat "ribbon" should be on the bottom of the fly. The bumpy side is UP! (Figs.1-2)

To start, cut a 6 egg section from the egg string of the double row. Use a fine tipped scissors to cleanly and evenly cut the string between the eggs. The eggs can now be mounted on the hook in two ways: either "Centered" with the hook shank, or "Offset" to the hook shank (See Figs. 23, 24-the finished offset style fly).

When "Centered", you would have three eggs, of the total 6 eggs, on each side of the hook shank when viewed from above. If "Offset", you would have the hook shank passing through the egg on the top left, down through the center ribbon, and then out through egg on the bottom right of the egg string. Thread the eggs until the hook point exits your 6 egg section. Keep the egg string bunched up around the bend of the hook, pushing it forward only enough to place the bend and barb into your vise. The flat "ribbon" should be on the bottom side of the fly. I prefer the Offset method as it is stronger, and looks much more realistic as a natural egg mass (Figs. 1-5 and the finished fly in Figs. 23, 24).

Start wrapping your thread from directly over the barb and form a thread base up to the eye of the hook. Place a small amount of Loctite Super Glue (in spill proof bottle with brush from Target/Home Depot and Wal Mart) over these thread wraps, and gently push the entire egg string up onto the thread base to the eye (Figs. 6-8).

To increase strength, take the thread back and forth over the egg string from the eye to the rear and then back to the eye, forming two wraps with the thread over the string of eggs and between each of the three rows. Do not put too much tension on the thread so as not to cut the soft egg material. Take the thread from behind the eye and go under the front eggs and then up on top between the first and second row of eggs; then back under the eggs and then up on top between eggs in the second and third row; then back around and under to the rear shank for 2 X anchoring wraps. This completes one cross wrap. Now go back over the top of the eggs with the thread in the middle of the row of eggs on top to the eye and anchor with 2X wraps. Now repeat the above for the 2nd cross wraps; After the 2 X wraps around the shank at the bend, you are ready to add the veil material at the rear of the egg mass before moving the thread to the front behind the eye of the hook (Figs.9-16).

Take a very small amount of veil material and tie in at the rear, in the center of the veil material and then fold the veil back to form two sections pointing to the left of the rear shank. Lightly take your tying thread over the 6 egg string to the eye, and make two wraps at the front of the eggs. Remember, keep the veil material thin (Figs.7-18).

Now take a very small dab (don't brush it on!) of Super Glue and lightly cover only the tops of the 6 eggs on the shank. Now flare the veil material out so it will form a "fan" covering the tops of all 6 eggs. Leaving a few fibers to the rear left to form a "tail", pull the remaining veil material over the coated tops of the 6 eggs trying to cover all of them, and take one loose wrap of thread at the eye. Now gently pull the veil material to the front of the eye-to your right, to tighten the veil material over the tops of the 6 eggs. Now take two final wraps of thread over the veil to lock the thread and veil in place (Fig. 19-21).

Now pull the veil material up and over the egg mass to the rear of the fly, to "marry" the veil with the small "tail" of veil left at the rear of the hook. Whip finish twice of three wraps each and you are finished (see Figs. 22-24).

OTTER'S Soft Milking Egg® realistic milking egg patterns--Tying Instructions for OS-3 Pattern OTTER'S Soft Milking Egg® realistic milking egg patterns--Tying Instructions for OS-3 Pattern-figures 10-24

Click here to download Tying Instructions for OS-3 Pattern-- as a PDF.

Please check back soon for more helpful hints and tying instructions. Also, download our "Notes" on Using Otter Egg Materials, a list of helpful product-related tips and information. "Right click" and choose "Save target as" to save and open it on your hard drive.


For more information, contact:
Blue River Designs, LLC
6977 S. Madison Way
Centennial, CO 80122

 

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