Tying Instructions: Doc's Twin Lakes Special

1. Secure the hook to vise and attach the thread behind the eye of the hook.
Step One
2. Wrap 15-20 wraps of 0.015" lead-free wire around the shank leaving ample room behind the eye. The thread in remains in front of the wire wraps.
Step Two
3. Secure the wire with thread wraps and wrap the thread back to the bend of the hook. Apply some head cement to secure the thread wraps. Step Three
4. Clip a clump of marabou fibers from a quill, keeping the tips somewhat even. Secure this clump at the bend of the hook just above the barb. The tail length should be about the same as the hook shank length.

Step Four
5. Secure the tag ends of the marabou to the hook shank with thread wraps, clipping off the excess where the lead wraps end behind the eye. Step Five
6. Add 2 strands of Krystalflash, the same length as the tail to each side of the tail. Secure the tag ends of the krystalflash to the shank and clip off the excess.

Step Six
7. Attach the Fine Chenille at the tail tie down point. Do this by removing some of the fuzz of the chennile, exposing the thread core. Use the core of the chenille to fasten the material down to the shank. Attach a single strand of Krystalflash to the base of the tail as well. This strand will be roped around the Chenille to add sparkle.
Step Seven
8. In this photo, the Krystalflash is roped around the Chenille and it is ready to wrap around the shank for the body. Step Eight
9. Wrap the chenille to about the 3/4 position and anchor with 2-3 thread wraps. Clip off the tag end and secure with additional thread wraps.
Step Nine
10. Attach a piece of Red Fine Chenille just in front of the body. Do this in the same manner as the body by exposing the thread core and securing the core to the shank.

Step Ten
11. Wrap the Red Chenille for a throat. Leave enough room behind the eye to secure the hackle. Trim the tag of the chenille and secure with thread wraps.
Step Eleven
12. Prepare the saddle hackle by folding the fibers along the quill spline so that the fibers are in a plane. The length of the saddle fibers is a personal preference. You can select a hackle in which the fibers reach 1/3 of the body or over half of the body. Attach the saddle hackle by the tip in front of the red chenille. The hackle fibers should be facing the tail.
Step Twelve
13. Attach your hackle pliers to the bare guill and use the pliers to wrap the hackle around the shank. Each wrap should be groomed back with your fingers to keep the fibers pointing back. Wrap in front of each previous wrap until you reach the base of the eye, then secure with thread wraps. Whip Finish.
Step Thirteen
14. Trim off the tag end of the saddle hackle. Secure with a few more thread wraps in front of the hackle and whip finish.
Step Fourteen
15. Apply some head cement to the finished thread wraps. Here is a traditional Twin Lakes Special. Note how the hackle fibers are supported upright by the chenille. This provides an attractor element to the pattern that produces a vibration when pulled through the water column. The red chenille throat provides an additional attractor element of an alarmed baitfish flaring it's gills.
Step Fourteen

©2023 Steve Schalla
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