Tying the Dark Cahill

Here is the list of materials that you will need to tie the
Dark Cahill.

Hook:Mustad 94840 size:8-20

Thread:Black

Tail:Brown hackle fibers

Body:Rabbit fur

Hackle:Brown hackle

Wings: Wood duck flank, upright and divided

Now on to the fun part...tying the fly.

1. Put the bend of the hook in the vise. Hold the thread in your left hand, bobbin in right and starting 1/4 of the way from the bend of the hook wrap the thread over top of the hook 5 times moving towards the eye then back over the thread towards the back of the hook. Continue wrapping until you get to the bend of the hook. It should look like this...

2. Cut a small clump of brown hackle fibers about 3/4 of the length of the hook. Place the ends that you cut over top of the thread wraps 1/4 of the way up from the bend in the hook. Wrap the ends down with 4 to 5 turns of thread and make sure the fibers stays on top of the hook. Cut the ends of the fibers that are sticking out from in front of your thread wraps at an angle sloping down. It should look like this...

3. Now using the rabbit fur, dubb the thread for about 5 inches. Dubbing is done by pulling off small clumps of rabbit fur with your fingers and twisting it onto the thread always in a counter clock wise motion. Twist it on as evenly as possible...

4. Now spin your thread up the hook towards the eye stopping 1/4 inch from the eye. It should look like this...

5. Now select a wood duck flank feather. Cut a small clump of fibers from the feather about 30 fibers(each wing 15 fibers). Cut them to the length that you want them to stand ontop of the hook...look at the final picture for the right length. You are going to make wings so tie the clump in upright and divide the clump fairly evenly. Alternate your thread wraps infront of and behind the fibers to make them stand straight up. Make 2 figure 8 wraps to divide them. It should look like this...

6. Now tie in a larger brown hackle fiber 1/8 inch behind the wings. To do this select a light ginger hackle fiber and trim the fuzz from the end of the feather. Lay the spine of the hackle feather against the side of the hook and secure with 4 to 5 thread wraps. It should look like this...

7. Spin your thread forward 1/8 inch from the eye of the hook. Using your hackle pliers grab the tip of the feather and spin it towards the eye of the hook. Tie the tip of the feather down with 4 to 5 thread wraps and trim off the tip of the hackle fiber and whip finish...

Congradulations you've just tied the Dark Cahill!!!