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Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 1. Build a mound of Ultra Chenille about 1/8-inch high and 1/4-inch wide on top of the hook shank just forward of the start of the bend. Soak it with Flexcement. Then wrap the thread from the 60-degree bend in the jig hook to the front of the chenille hump. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 2. Place the lead-wrapped mono on top of the hook and over the chenille hump, positioning it so the start of the lead wraps are 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the hook bend. Secure the mono to the hook shank and the chenille hump with thread, but do not wrap past the chenille hump. Cement well. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 3. Turn the hook over in the vise. Tie on a medium bunch of white bucktail over the top of the hook point, making sure it spreads evenly around the shank. Taper the butts before wrapping down. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 4. Moisten 10 to 15 strands of silver Flashabou, and secure over the top of the bucktail, followed by an equal amount of chartreuse Flashabou to form a Flashtail extending beyond the saddle hackles from 1 to 11/2 inches. Be sure to apply some Flexcement on the Flashabou out to about an inch or so past the tie-in point to help prevent fouling. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 5. Select six, 41/2- to 5-inch-long, medium-width white saddle hackles, and place the curved sides together in two groups of three. Bind these hackles more toward the hook top (not sides), with the top edge of the hackles tented together. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 6. Turn the hook point down, and tie on a medium bunch of white bucktail extending just past the hook bend. It should not be as long as the initial bunch of bucktail. This throat serves as the belly of the fly. Taper all butts. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 7. Rotate the hook point up again. Tie on a medium bunch of chartreuse bucktail over the saddle hackles about three-fourths the length of the saddles. Top the chartreuse with a slightly smaller amount of gray bucktail, and then add 10 to 15 strands of tan UV Krystal Flash. Now on each side of the wing, tie in a mix of silver and chartreuse Flashabou cut to about half the length of the saddles. Then tie in a few strands of rainbow Crystal Flash almost as long as the Flashabou. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 8. Tie on grizzly hackles as shoulders above the center line and tented so that they cover the bucktail toppings. Tie in a loop of medium gray chenille by the tips on top of the hook, centered at the base of the wing materials. Take two turns of medium red chenille around and just in front of the wing materials to simulate gills. Secure and glue well. Now tie in a length of medium white chenille at the position where the 60-degree bend in the hook begins just in front of the trimmed stubs. Wind the chenille back to the red collar, then back to the starting point, forming a two-layered tapered head; tie off and trim. Now bring the loop of gray chenille forward over the top of the head, making sure itýs centered. Tie off, whip-finish and cement. Dan Blanton
Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Tying the Lead Ass Mac

Step 9. Glue on the eyes and trim flash material so that it extends only about an inch beyond the longest material to form a Flashtail. Dan Blanton
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