Shuttlecock Technique

[Nick Pionessa]

This is a technique for propping up synthetic materials to achieve bulk and mass in larger patterns. As it turns out it also works for smaller flies and just about any winging material. The material needs to have enough length to complete the technique and still have enough length to be proportional in the finished fly. It will work in place of a dubbing loop for Arctic fox tail or even extra select Craft Fur. It may take you a few tries to get it right but once you learn it’s a quick technique.

The idea originally came from Blaine Chocklett’s t-bone style of fly which uses plastic tubing to prop Bucktail. I like to work with synthetics in a similar fashion and after fiddling with the idea for a few months it came together. You can make the finished fly any diameter by adjusting the length of the fibers. You can also taper them as you work forward. I used 6 sections for Musky sized flies. Slinky fiber or Super Hair work well for the big flies but I’m positive this technique can be used with any synthetic.

Tie in the material near the butts with the long ends toward the front of the fly. Spread the materials out evenly 360º around the tube. Tie it down with several wraps.


Pull the material back and work the thread out in front.



Wind the thread forward the distance you want the diameter of the prop to be.


Pull the material forward again.


Wrap the thread around the material two turns.


Push the material toward the rear of the fly forming a swell in the material.


Push it back right against where the butts were tied in and maintain the 360º surround. Bind it down well with several wraps.



Move the thread back to the tie in point.


If you want the prop to be very stiff then coat the material with UV cure glue front and back and zap it with the light.



Pull the material rearward and wrap up onto it to fold it rearward.


Take a minute to evenly spread the fibers out before binding it down well.


Tightly wrap it down and move the thread forward to start the next section.


At the head of the fly two or three layers may be pushed against each other to make a more solid, larger head. Once coated with UV glue it makes for great resistance and causes the fly to wobble extremely well. This technique can be used on tubes as exampled here or on hooks or shanks. The shanks because of their rectangular cross section are a little more tricky to work with but perfectly doable.

Here’s a finished tube version with stick on eyes and a large resistant head



The finished Shuttlecock



As mentioned it may take a few tries to get it right but you will figure it out if you follow the instructions. I have worked through several versions of this and it gets way easier all the time.

[johnjarosz(jj)]

Nick...that's a great technique. Thanks much!! I tie my musky flies using the plastic tubing almost exclusively to prop up bucktail but I prefer to use as much synthetics as I can. I learned the plastic tubing tech from Nate when he did his demo on musky flies. I still use that technique. I've found that reverse tying bucktail gives me a fly that's too bulky & doesn't want to sink. For a lot of flies, I switched to E-Z Body in large size. It's softer than the plastic but still a couple/three extra steps. Your steps, so far, are just the ticket. Time to give it a try.

So, here's a question. I really like throwing musky tube flies. It's almost like throwing no flies at all. I use a solid steel bite guard and so changing flies isn't the same as changing tubes on steelie flies. So, how do you change flies? Do you keep a box full of pre-rigged tube flies that have solid ss bite guards already tied? What's the setup you prefer?
Thanks for the pics & the technique. Very nice!

[Nick Pionessa]

hey John, i pretty much always use cable for bite guard. i surgeons knot it to the leader and so fishing tubes for me is easy. i have used the solid wire a few times and i like it for shanks but it would deaden the action of a tube by removing the pivot points. you could pre rig a tube with cable and a snap or loop for convenience.


as you mentioned the tubes are very light and i love the way they move in the water but this technique can be tied on any medium.