Marabou

Tying Instructions: Red Fox Squirrel Nymph



	1. Select a lead wire that is about the same thickness as the hook wire. I am using a .015" leadfree wire.
	2. Attach the lead wire and wrap 10-15 times over the middle half of the shank..
	3. Attach the thread in front of the wire wraps and secure the lead wire with thread wraps. Wrap the thread to the bend of the hook, halfway between the point and the barb.
	4. Clip a tuft of fur from the back of the squirrel pelt. The tuft should include 3-4 guard hairs and the under-fur.
	5. Tie in the tuft of fur at the bend of the hook for a tail. Length should be about 1/2 to 2/3 the hook shank length.
	6. Attach a piece of oval tinsel ribbing at the bend of the hook. For sizes #16-20, a gold wire can be used. For #10 -16, small oval tinsel size 18 works well.
	7. Twist a portion of the abdomen dubbing around the thread. The dubbing can be a 50/50 mix of Belly fur from the Red Fox Squirrel skin and Squirrel Belly Antron. You can also use the SLF Blend that Whitlock has approved, however, I find that adding some actual Belly fur provides a better natural dubbing closer to the 50/50 mix Whitlock Blend.
	8. Dub a tapered abdomen with the blended fur up 2/3 the hook shank.
	9. Rib the tinsel around the abdomen 5-7 times. Secure the tag with thread wraps and trim.
	10. Prepare another blend of dubbing for the thorax. The thorax can have a 50/50 blend of Back fur and Charcoal Grey Antron. Or, you can use the blend SLF mix but I find that a little more Back fur added to the SLF blend brings some nice guard hairs to the mix.
	11. Create a dubbing loop and insert the dubbing within the loop.
	12.Twist the dubbing loop to create a chenille of dubbing with protruding hairs.
	13. Wrap a heavy thorax and secure about two eyewidths behind the eye.
	14. Attach a dark mottled partridge feather by the tip in front of the thorax.
	15. Stroke the barbs to the rear and make a single wrap.
	16. Tie it off; then trim the excess. Trim to 6-8 legs. Whip-finish.