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Tying Instructions: Kenny’s Shrimp and Crawdad Fly

Tying Instructions: Kenny's Shrimp and Crawdad Fly
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**Step 1. **Place hook in vise point down with shank angled down approx. 45 degrees. Start thread wraps about 2/3 down bend of hook and carry up onto straight part of shank.

**Step 2. **Stack a small short clump of hair and tie it snugly onto the distal 1/8th to 1/4 inch of the shank top and then lightly wind thread down the bend and back up to the straight shank. Too much thread pressure going down the bend will make the hair flare more than you want. Be sure to carry the wraps far enough down the bend so the hair angles about 45 degrees to the plane of the shank. This is important as the hair acts as a sink keel to help keep the fly uproght on the drop.

**Step 3. **Tie in antennae butts on each side of base of hair clump and wrap thread part way down over hair wraps to give them a downward angle also. Spread antennae out to about 45 degrees laterally and apply a drop of lacquer to the base 1 inch of each to increase stiffness and hold taut as you coax them into the final angle you want. The lateral spread helps keep them from fouling on each other and also acts as a keel.

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**Step 4. **Tie in end of chenille to top of thread wraps at beginning of hook bend and drape chenille back over vise head so it’s out of the way.

**Step 5. **Level hook shank in vise and tie in hourglass eyes on top of shank over hair butts just above hook barb. Use figure 8 wraps to anchor eye and be sure it’s straight and level at 90 degrees to shank. Bring thread forward of eyes and figure 8 wrap chenille over eyes and tie off just forward of eyes but don’t cut chenille off then tie in palmering hackle butt with shiny side facing forward.

**Step 6. **Wrap thread forward on shank to 1/8th inch from hook eye then tie thread off with an overhand or two and hang in bobbin cradle. Coat thread base with lacquer and wind chenille forward laying thick and close to start and thinner as you progress towards hook eye. Tie off and cut off chenille and then trim Cactus chenille with scissors to taper body thickness narrower towards hook eye.

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**Step 7. **Palmer hackle forward and tie off. Whip finish and then go whip some fish. You can also scissor trim the hackle like you did the Cactus chenille to give the body more taper and a faster sink rate but using a skinny #6-#* dry fly type hackle makes for a prettier fly.

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