How to Use Hackle Guards

A well-tied fly is an essential component of fly fishing.

When finishing off the head of a fly, you must keep the hackle and other materials back and away from the tie. Hackle guards are simple, inexpensive devices that make tying off a fly simpler for you by preventing the hackle from becoming tangled in the thread work — if you know how to use them. You can purchase professionally manufactured hackle guards from numerous retailers, but you can also fashion serviceable hackle guards cheaply out of drinking straws.

Things You'll Need

• Hook
• Vise
• Fly tying tools
• Tie with hackle
• Hackle guard

Instructions

Assembling the Fly

1. 

   Take care with your fly and it will serve you well.

   Place a fish hook in a vise, and tighten the vise so it holds the hook firmly in place while you work.

2. Wrap your thread around the hook, starting about 1 millimeter behind the eye. Take care to avoid creating gaps between wraps, and check to ensure each wrap does not pass over a previous wrap. Trim off the tag end after about 10 wraps, recommend David and Cheryl Young, authors of "Fly Tying: An Enjoyable Hobby."

3. Dress the fly, as instructed or desired, with a tail, wing and hackles. You can find detailed instructions for tying multiple flies in numerous books, such as "The Fly-Tying Bible: 100 Deadly Trout and Salmon Flies in Step-By-Step Photographs."

Use Your Hackle Guard

1. Slide the hackle guard carefully over the eye of the hook, just far enough to hold back the hackle.

2. Build your head and whip finish with the hackle held safely out of the way of your thread.

3. Remove the hackle guard, and set it aside.

4. Cement the head to finish off the fly.

Tips & Warnings

• You can easily fashion an inexpensive hackle guard from a drinking straw. Cut off a 1/4-inch section of the straw, then slit the straw section vertically so you can place it over the thread. Place it over the thread, then slide it down over the eye of the hook to hold back the hackle while you finish the thread work.

References

• "Fly Tying: An Enjoyable Hobby"; David and Cheryl Young; 2008
• "The Fly-Tying Bible: 100 Deadly Trout and Salmon Flies in Step-By-Step Photographs"; Peter Gathercole; 2003

Resources

• "Fly Fishing: The Lifetime Sport"; David and Cheryl Young; 2005