Those of you who have watched my flytying lessons will know that I favour the double half hitch for finishing off my flies rather than the whip finish. Do not be deterred from learning the whip finish either manually or by one of the various tools available.
I learnt my fly tying over sixty years ago when the whip finish or double half hitch was rarely used. In the early days when eyed hooks became popular many of the commercial flies were finished off with a single half hitch with well waxed thread…..no varnish! This practice was resurrected when it was decided to train young women in Africa and Asia to tie the flies. At that time I was tying for several local tackle shops and was told that I had to abandon my practice of finishing every fly with two double half hitches and varnishing the heads. This was by one of the men who had gone abroad to set up these factories and instruct the local tyers. Not only did I have to tie an inferior fly my price was halved, but not the cost of the materials or hooks. Needless to say I gave up tying for the retail market. But I digress.
The double half hitch is relatively easy if you follow the instruction clip. If you have trouble pulling the thread through the first loop, with your finger, try using a bodkin or the end of a short knitting needle, even a pencil. Always tighten the thread slowly and direct it to where you want it to lie .Cut the thread do not break it off.
Remember practice makes perfect. Just keep tying the knot on a bare hook until it is second nature to you.
Happy Fishing
Dave Cammiss and the Team
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Hi Dave,
thanks for the video, it has really helped me alot since I can’t understand how to use a whip finish!
All the best,
Kyle.
Hi Dave , excellent videos. !
I am relatively new to Fly fisjing and have decided to try start tying my own flies now , so starting to collect materials and tools (just bought a vice so far ) and found your site invaluable , Great help , THANKS ! keep up the good work and wishing you tight lines
Thank you Dave for taking the time to teach us your valued skills. Please continue with your fine work. Thanks from the USA.
I’ve watched all your beginner and intermediate video’s and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Even as a seasoned tyer (I’ve been tying over 1o years) I always pick up something new watching others. And your double half hitch technique is definitely new to me. For me, after learning a typical hand whip finish and trying several different whip finish tools I settled on the Materelli type for my preference, and to each his own. But what I notice in the way you do your double half hitch is how much thread you waste with each fly. Why not use a half hitch tool? The knot is the same and there is no waste of thread.
Hi Bass-Bug
Thanks for your e-mail. Good to have you on board.
I am a practicing geriatric in my mid seventies. When i was at the tender age of eleven years my mentor, Wilf Proud bless his soul, showed me how to tie off my flies with a double half hitch. Those were the heady days of no vices and hand held hooks for spider patterns from 16s to 12s(mostly march browns)
It was only when I started tying flies for a friend of mine with a tackle shop, when the reservoir boom happened that, I used a vice. I never did make out with a whip finish tool and being the lazy old codger that I am I just carried where I had started all those years ago.
I simply have not tried the half hitch tool because I have not come across one in the UK.
Happy Fishing
DaveC and the Team
Hi Dave,
Re half hitches and finishing flies – I’ve been tying for over 15 years now and find your video tutorials excellent. An easy way to tie half hitches and whip finishes uses a “very expensive tool” available from Ladbrokes and Argos. If you remove the ink nib from the inside of their pens, polish the rounded end a little it forms an excellent tool.
The method is :
With the finished fly in the vice hold the thread straight up above the head and wind it a couple of times around the end of the pen.
Keeping the thread tight lower the pen down in front of the hook eye.
Place the pen hole over the eye and gently slip the loops off the pen and onto the hook head space gently tightening the knot.
Repeat if necessary and varnish after trimming excess thead.
PS I also discovered the same tool on the end of my brass handled needle
Dave,
Your instructional videos are an inspiration to all those wishing to learn about the fascinating art of fly tying.
I’m still as keen as ever after many years of trying to fool the trout. I do enjoy watching you continually show us how to tie those creations that contribute so much to our enjoyment of the sport .
Every best wish,
Vic
Hi Dave,
Just wanted to say thank you for your many instructional videos. I’ve really been struggling with the whip finish tool I got with my fly tying kit, and your video on the double half-hitch has convinced me it’s a far simpler and better way to finish off my flies. I also quite like the fact that it’s the way “things used to be done”!
Very best wishes,
Steve
Hi Dave
After many years of buying mass produced flys i have just been bought a tying kit and found your videos most helpfull in learning a new skill. as for this whip finish tool i just cant get it to work right but your halfe hitch and double halfe hitch is so much easyer to tie then the whip tool. many thanks and tight lines to the team.
Dave H
I have bought many “imported” flys and they all fall apart. The flies I have left I am sending my son’s way. He is 5 and loves to pan fish. Those cheap flies don’t even stand up to an hour of pan fishing. I should be thankful for these cheap flies as they have introduced me to a wonderful hobbie of tying my own. Had the import flies been of better quality I might not have had an incentive to tie and would not have found your great website.
I live in the US, Minnesota to be specific, I’d love to see a video for us “Yanks” on tying a good fly for Small or Large mouth Bass and perhaps maybe even a pike fly or two. Best wishes.
Sincerely,
Paul
Flyfishing is becoming more popular in the flat country of Holland and I also started tying my flies a while ago. Thanks for your lessons. It is a great help for me. I hope you continue with this.
Best regards F
Hi Dave, Just wanted to say thank you very much for website. You v’e simplified alot of technique for me. Don’t stop makin the videos. Thanks Again Ed
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