Wee Monkey Tube Flies

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly

Following on from the page about Scottish Shrimp Needle Tubes and the one on Tying a Cascade Scottish Shrimp Tube Fly , Illustrated below is a simplified tying sequence for a Wee Monkey Salmon Needle Tube Fly. As with the Scottish Shrimps, the dressing is very simple, with no need for a body dressing over the stainless steel tube. Only a few materials are required for the fly shown below, all of which are tied in at the head of the tube. Using a beard hackle, there is not even a need for a wound hackle, making this fly ideal for those just starting out in the art of fly tying.

Materials

Tube: 15mm stainless steel needle tube, diameter 1.5mm (length and diameter of tube may be varied)

Hackle: Hot orange rooster

Underwing: Sunburst Arctic Fox (or bucktail) with a few strands of Krystal Flash over

Wing: Black Arctic Fox

Overwing (optional): A few strands of straighter hair such as goat or squirrel on top of the fox wing, for greater definition. Peacock herl might also be used.

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly - step 1 — Secure needle tube in a suitable vice and lay a short bed of tying thread at the head

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly - step 2 — Tie in a sparse bunch of hackle fibres

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly - step 3 — Rotate tube through 180 degrees and tie in a sparse bunch of Arctic fox, a little longer than the hackle

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly - step 4 — Tie in a few strands of Krystal Flash longer than the underwing

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly - step 5 — Tie in a wing of black Arctic Fox about the same length as the Krystal Flash

Tying a Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly - Step 6 — Add an optional few strands of straighter, stiffer hair such as goat or squirrel tail (or peacock herl) extending slightly beyond the fox wing.

Wee Monkey Needle Tube Fly with single hook — The Wee Monkey Tube Fly armed with a free-swinging single hook

Jungle cock cheeks might be added if desired to create a “Wee Jungle Monkey”.

More Wee Monkey Needle Tube Flies

Colours and sizes may be varied according to taste and circumstance, as shown below.