Week four -- Olive Fore and Aft

This week I elected to do the Olive Fore and Aft fly that I learned about on the Fly Angler's Online website in the lake fishing section. I figured that if it looked like something that a trout would eat, most likely the fish in my neighborhood would take it for food also. It is tied quite thin to sink fairly quickly without adding weight besides the hook. I hope you enjoy it and that you can also catch some fish with it.

Let me know what you think.

(Click Images for a larger version.)

The first step is to gather the materials required for the Olive Fore and Aft, which are pictured above and as follows:

• Hook:   Wet Fly Hook. (I selected a size 8 streamer for this.)


• Thread: Black


• Rear Hackle: Ginger Saddle Hackle, 2 Wraps


• Body:   Dark-Olive/Gold Chenille


• Front Hackle: Black Saddle Hackle

After gathering your materials you will need to mount the hook to be used in the vise and get the tying thread started on the hook.

Wrap the thread to the back of the hook and prepare the hackle that you have selected for the rear of the fly.

Tie in the rear hackle at the bend of the hook with the concave side facing downward. (Shiny side up.)

Make two complete wraps of hackle at the tie-in point, tie it off, and remove the extra part of the hackle. (My wraps are a little spread apart. I did not notice this until I saw the photographs. I kinda doubt the fish will notice either.)

Prepare the chenille by stripping a little bit of material from the string that holds it together.

Tie in the chenille and advance the thread to the front of the hook. At that point tie in the front hackle after preparing it. This time with the curved side facing up, or shiny side facing down.

Wrap the chenille forward to the tie in point of the front hackle and tie it off. Also remove any extra chenille.

Make two wraps with the black hackle, tie it off, and trim the extra feather off.

To get a clean whip finish on the fly I use a small peice of straw to hold the hackle fibers back out of the way. With the straw on there, build a small head and whip finish the fly. Also a bit of head cement can be applied, if you use it, at this time.

Completed Fly.

Top View.

Bottom View.

Well, now I hope the temperature rises a bit so I can go play with my little finned friends in the water. I am really hoping that some of the ice will melt off a bit in some areas so I can just go see if anything wants to play.

Lime Trude