How to Tie The TURLE KNOT -  Its all Mickey Mouse!!!    

This is an easy way to remember how to tie the Turle Knot which is by far the best knot for all Salmon & Trout flies.                         

Just picture Mickey Mouse' Ears.

1) Hold the fly in your right hand with the eye upwards. This is for up eyed flies.

2) Then with your left hand, thread the nylon upwards through the eye.

3) Pull 6" of nylon through the hook eye.

4) Place the fly in the palm of your Left hand with the line to the rod in your left hand dropping downwards.

5) Pinch the nylon between your left thumb & forefinger, you should have 6" of nylon facing upwards.

6) With your right hand take the 6" of Nylon in the middle with your right thumb & forefinger so that 3" of Nylon is between both thumbs.

7) Turn your right hand over your left hand to make "Mickey's left ear."

8) Pinch this "ear" in left thumb and forefinger.

9) With your right hand put the loose 3" of nylon through the left ear from the finger side of left hand to make Mickey's right ear.

10) Now go through Mickey's right ear twice from rear to front.

11) Gently pull loose end tight so that Mickey's right ear tightens onto Mickey's left ear to form a running noose.

12) Now put the fly, tail first, through the noose.

13) Gently tighten the nylon to the rod, so that the noose tightens around the head of the fly.

14) Put the short piece of nylon that is left on the running noose back through the eye of the hook and cut it off.

                     You have now tied the TURLE KNOT, it will not let you down.  

The fly will always swim in the direction of your fly line and not pivot on the knot as it can with the tucked blood knot. 

N.B. For down eyed flies, start with the fly upside down.

© Doug Lock Blackwater Fly Fishing    22.07.98  

Published in Fly Fishing & Fly Tying March 1999

Fail-safe Braided Loops for Salmon Fly Lines

  I have met so many fly fishers that could have lost Salmon by not correctly fixing braided loops to their fly lines.

Braided loops are great but they must be strong enough and correctly fitted.

The most common faults that I have seen are: -

Trout strength braids used for Salmon

Not enough fly line was put inside the braid

The loop itself was not glued (it can pull out)

Super Glue used to fix braid to fly line. (It dries too stiffly and can

dissolve in water after some time)

The fly line cracks above the sleeve

Nylon leader tied onto the braid, not’ looped to loop’, as it should be.

Purchase a spool of 30lb Hollow Braided Backing. With a darning needle make a loop on the end of the backing,

Now cut off 4" of braid and thread the fly line right up to where the braid is doubled back on itself.

 (This will give a great power transfer to your cast or when as I use, a 6'length of Wetcell II also rigged with Wader- glued loops as an add on sink tip to my floating line)

  Put the loop into a fly tying vice so that the fly line hangs down.

Using a dubbing needle put Wader Glue (e.g. Aquasure, Stormsure) onto the braid from the bottom of the loop right down to where the braided backing ends on the fly line.   Note I do not use a sleeve.

After approximately one and a half hours or when the glue is just tacky, rub the glue (using the palms of your hands) into the braid to make a smooth surface. Leave to dry for another hour.

  This loop will not come undone, and the braid will not come off the fly line.

When dry, Wader Glue is flexible and gives a rubberised coating to the braid, which increases its durability. The end of your fly line will run smoothly through the rod rings. Use on both ends of your fly line.

  You can now go fishing with complete confidence, using the above method.

  © Doug Lock Blackwater Fly Fishing 2nd October 1999  

          Ghillie Cottage, Kilbarry Stud, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland

                                

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