How to Tie the Little Blue Heron Fly

Producer: tightlinevideo

I call this fly the Little Blue Heron as it’s based somewhat on the Heron Fly originated by Nick Lambrou from New Hampshire. This is a tube version of the pattern but it can also be tied as a regular fly.

For the regular version, a Lightning Strike ST5 6X long, size 8 streamer hook would be appropriate. I do, however, prefer the tube fly version for a couple of reasons. For one, the same hook size, a size 8, short-shanked tube fly hook can be used but it’s located farther back on the fly, which helps to reduce the number of short tail bites. The short-shanked hook is also more likely to stay attached to the fish during a protracted battle – whereas long-shanked hooks tend to give the advantage to the fish.

The tube fly version starts with an HMH 3/32” small rigid tube. This pack contains a number of them that are 5” in length as well as a longer, more flexible tube to be cut up and used for hook holders. I’ll start by marking one of the 5” rigid tubes at every inch-and-a-quarter to create 4 uniform segments. A good sharp razor blade is adequate for cutting the tubing material cleanly and without a lot of crushing.

I use a grill lighter to lightly melt one end of the tubing, then use a bodkin to make sure the hole in the end is still open. Slide the melted-over end onto a tube fly mandrel and make sure it’s anchored well, so it won’t spin.

UTC 140 Denier black thread is a good choice for this pattern. I like to load the spool onto a bobbin with an exceptionally long nozzle. This allows me to take wraps anywhere on the tube without the thread spool hitting the tip of the mandrel. Although not essential, a drop of super glue, here, Fly Tyer’s Z-Ment applied to the midpoint of the tube will help to ensure the tying thread stays put, rather than spinning around the somewhat slippery plastic tube. Get your thread started at the tube’s midpoint, in the glue, and after taking a few wraps rearward snip off the excess tag. Take a few more rearward wraps to cover up the thread end.

A 2-card width segment of silver sparkle braid is used to add a bit of shimmer to the fly. Place one end against the near side of the tube at the location of your tying thread and take thread wraps to secure it, all the way back to about a 1/4” from the melted-over end. Then, return your tying thread forward to the initial tie-in point.

Pick up some more super glue and apply it to the thread wraps you just did, then get hold of the silver braid and make touching forward wraps with it into the adhesive. The idea is to create a nice, durable, shiny body on the rear half of the fly. When you reach your tying thread, use it to anchor the braid then snip the excess off close.

Large mallard flank feathers, that have been dyed a light to medium blue, get tied in next. Anywhere from 2-3 are generally needed. To me, it’s the fine dark markings on these feathers that are so attractive. To prep a feather, turn it over so the dull side faces you then find the place where the stem begins to really thin. Strip all the fibers below this point off on both sides of the stem. The feather should now look something like this.

I prefer the fibers to be at least two silver body-lengths long. When you’re sure of the length, isolate the feather’s tip by gently preening down the lower fibers. Lay the tip against the near side of the hook, like so, and begin taking tight wraps to secure it. Sweep the tip rearward and take thread wraps to bind it down. This will ensure that the slippery feather stem won’t pull free. Take a few more forward wraps of tying thread.

Pick up your favorite hackle pliers and get hold of the feather’s stem. Pull the stem up to vertical then bend it down through your fingertips, folding the fibers rearward in the process. Start taking wraps with the feather, preening the fibers back as you go. When you reach bare stem, take tight wraps of tying thread to anchor it to the tube, then snip the excess off close. Take a few more insurance wraps to be absolutely certain the feather won’t unwind.

Now, prep a second feather in the same manner and tie it in, then wrap it as you did the first. Here, too, it’s very important that it’s anchored exceptionally well. A third feather may be required if there’s more than about 1/4” of bare tube showing at this point. Prep and secure this feather in the same way as you did the other two. The thicker the stem, the harder it is to get it well anchored.

The final feather to be tied in comes from a light brown Coq de Leon neck with a Chickabou pelt. Below the pelt are some large, soft, well-marked feathers, perfect for the front of this fly. After plucking one free, strip away the fibers from the lower, thicker part of the stem. The lower fibers on the feather should extend about 3/4 of the way down the Mallard fibers. Here, some were a bit too long so I’ll strip them off.

Once again isolate the feather’s tip by preening down the lower fibers but this time, snip the tip off, leaving a small triangular tie-in anchor. Lay the anchor against the near side of the hook and take thread wraps to secure it. As before, use hackle pliers to get hold of the stem, fold the fibers rearward and take wraps around the tube, coaxing the fibers back as you go. Then, anchor the stem and snip the excess off close. Take rearward thread wraps to make sure nothing comes unraveled and to build up a neat little head on the fly.

A large whip finish tool makes whip finishing around the long mandrel much easier than if you were using a regular one. After 5 or 6 turns, seat the knot well and snip your tying thread free.

The exposed tip of tubing is a bit long here. It should be about half the length of the thread wraps, so I’ll use sharp tying scissors to trim it to length off the end of the mandrel. A hair clip will keep the delicate and quite combustible feather fibers back and out of the way for the next step.

Slide the tubing off the end of the mandrel. Here, too, you can use a grill lighter if you like, to melt the tubing with the blue part of the flame, but you have to be really careful doing this. I greatly prefer using a cauterizing tool to melt over the tubing, as it offers much more control than an open flame. Melt the tubing all the way back to the thread wraps and quickly slide the fly back onto the mandrel to make sure that the front of the tube is still open.

Reach for your head cement and apply an ample coat to the bare thread wraps. Push the fly back on the mandrel to once again lock it in place. Then use a bodkin to pick out and separate both the Mallard and the CDL fibers. It’s amazing how much better the fly looks after just a small bit of picking. And that’s a finished Blue Heron.

To rig the fly, cut a 1/4” segment of the more flexible “hook holder” tubing off. Feed the tubing over the melted end at the rear of the fly and push it over the tubing so it sets, like so. Feed your tippet into the tube at the front of the fly until it comes out the back then tie on your hook of choice, here, a Lightning Strike TF1 in size 8. Use whatever knot you’d like.

Slide the fly down the tippet and insert the eye of the hook into the hook holder tubing, which will help hold it in place. As you can see, the bend of the hook is at the very rear end of the fly, which definitely helps when it comes to those annoying short bites.

And that’s the Little Blue Heron Tube Fly, rigged and ready to fish.