Earlier this year, we launched a new series of videos called “One-Minute Fly-Tying Tips and Techniques” from Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions. Each video will teach a single tying skill, from the most basic to the advanced. Ultimately, the series will serve as a sort of encyclopedia of tying skills that will be a valuable resource for anyone who sits down at a vise to create a fly.

Adding some ribbing to a fly pattern serves several purposes: it creates segmentation that mimics natural insects; it adds flash, color, or translucence; and it adds to a fly’s durability. Here, Tim demonstrates the proper methods for ribbing a fly, and I’ve always loved the way he braces the hook shank with the tip of his bobbin and “helicopters” the wire to break it off clean.

Click here for all One-Minute Fly-Tying Tips and Techniques videos.