The Dubbing Loop

Like all applications throughout this book, our goal is to position multiple fibers of fur on the hook with the expectation they will remain in place and still look like something the fish will find attractive. In this chapter we will use a loop of thread (the Dubbing Loop) to anchor and hold the unruly bunch of fur in place prior to wrapping it around the hook. A dubbing loop of thread is so versatile that this chapter will also be one of the longest in the book AND what we present here will barely scratch the surface of what you can do with this simple but effective process.

Many fly tiers view this technique as a way to use fur cut directly from a hide (see Chapter 3) to construct a fly with a wild, “buggy” appearance in one part or another of its body. It is in fact a great way to tie that body style but is also a great way to produce a beautiful fur collar that looks similar to the feather-wrapped collar on the fly at the end of the of Chapter 3. Also don’t think incorrectly your only source of fibers for this method will come from a snip of fur taken directly from an animal hide. A “pinch of fur” from a package of dubbing will work just fine with this “loop process” and can produce some very interesting results.

Wild and woolly fly bodies are not the only option for this dubbing style. The technique is also great for rendering a smooth, slender body. What we are trying to tell you is this technique is much more versatile that many fly tiers realize. The result is often not any different from others we’ll demonstrate in these pages with one small exception.

Did the word “exception” get your attention? We hope so because that exception is the purpose of this chapter. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll use a tool (or multiple tools) to twist the fur and thread together to make a fly tying material rather than twisting the fur around a thread core to produce a material similar in appearance.

Using The Whirl Style Tool: Let’s start with a simple dubbing whirl like the one Al is hold in his right hand. He is also holding two ball-bearing dubbing whirls in his left hand. Any one of the three tools will work the same. Their only difference is cost. The whirl in his right hand cost around $10.00 while the other two are north of $30.00. You’ll have to decide which fits your needs in relation to your pocketbook.

For our demonstration Al is using one of the more expensive ball-bearing tools to work on the fly body that was formed at the end of Chapter 2. In this illustration he has formed a thread-dubbing loop by first slipping the strand through the tool’s hooks then anchoring the other end at his starting point on the shank. Notice he has advanced the bobbin forward on the hook out of his way so he can put dubbing wax on ONE SIDE of his dubbing loop to help hold the fur in place in the next step.

After waxing the side of the dubbing loop Al has clipped a small section of Hare’s Ear mask fur from the hide and placed it in the thread loop. The waxed thread’s tacky nature helps hold the “clump” of fur in place illustrated below.

In next illustration Al has spread the clump of fur out to evenly distribute it along the length of the dubbing loop and has trimmed it to length.

With the fur trimmed and evenly distributed in the dubbing loop, Al is rotating the ball-bearing wheel from right to left using his thump to push it like the arrows in the pictures below. This rotates the dubbing loop (and tool) in a clockwise direction when looking down on it from above as indicated in the right hand picture.

After multiple rotations of the tool (about 30) the fur brush is ready to wrap around the hook.

In the next illustration, Al is “stroking” back the fibers in the fur brush after each turn around the hook. This stroking action determines the direction the fibers will lay in the collar on this Muddler Nymph.

With the collar application completed, Al has advanced the thread to a position behind the hook eye. He used the Pull and Twist dubbing method to apply a small amount of excess Hare’s Ear fur around the hook to form the Muddler-style head of the fly. In the photograph he is applying a whip-finish to complete the fly.

Using the Twister-style tool: We used one of the “whirl” type tools to apply the dubbing loop in the previous illustrations above but the twister or hook type tools will also accomplish the same task. The picture below illustrates just a few of those we like to use. Notice we included a whip-finish tool in the assortment. Why? Because that tool not only finishes a fly but it can also be used with a dubbing loop.

In the previous demonstration we used the whirl-type tool to apply “direct rotation” to the dubbing loop to form the fur brush. In this set of instructions we’ll be using a hook-style tool to apply delayed rotation to the dubbing loop. For this demonstration we’ll be using a favorite tool, the homemade dubbing hook. Let’s start by applying a short tail to the shank. Next we are placing several small bundles of dubbing into an extra-long loop that is waxed on the top 1/3 only.

Next we’ll grasp the TOP of the LOOP and the DUBBING very TIGHT with the left hand while rotating the hook tool clockwise numerous times thus placing multiple twists (30 or more) in the bottom 2/3s of the loop. Be sure to maintain TIGHT control of the top 1/3 of the dubbing loop during this part of the process.

Now position the tool straight below the hook shank and release the upper part of the dubbing loop you had been holding with the left hand. The pent up energy in the lower 2/3 of the loop is immediately transferred to the top 1/3. This transfer instantly forms a tight application that looks similar to a twisted rope. If you wish you may use your thumbnail and forefinger to “push” the last few twists up to the top of the loop like Al is doing in the illustration.

Off camera, Al has applied the dubbing to the back of the hook to form the thorax. Now we’ll use the same technique to render a totally different look to the front part of our in-progress fly. Just as before let’s form an extra-long dubbing loop. This time we’ll wax the upper 1/3 over BOTH strands. Here Al has placed hackle fibers and dubbing into the loop and is trimming them to length because they were too long for the hook size in use.

Just like we did before, grasp the upper 1/3 of the loop TIGHT with the left hand and apply multiple clockwise twists (30 or more) to the bottom 2/3 of the dubbing loop (below).

In the next photograph after completing the pent-up-energy transfer, Al is again using his thumbnail and forefinger to “push” the last of its oomph into the top of the loop.

Wrap the thorax on the fly, apply a whip-finish and trim the waste thread from the hook. Now wasn’t that a fast, easy and WILD LOOKING nymph to tie?

Multiple Color Loops: Up to this point we’ve applied MULTIPLE clockwise twists to our dubbing loop to produce the desired appearance. The next short demonstration will best illustrate how the “twister” type tool works. With this tool, it is very easy to apply a LIMITED number of twists to the dubbing loop. You’ll soon see why we only want six or eight turns in our loop. We’ll start by going back to Chapter 2 and using the Pull and Twist method to apply two different colors of dubbing on one strand of thread like the one in the illustration. Here Al is attaching the “twister” tool in the center of the strand between the two colors.

In the illustration below Al has wrapped the thread forward on the hook to get it out of the way after anchoring it at the end of the shank.

In the next illustration Al has twisted the tool 8 turns in a clockwise direction. At this point the two-color application is ready to wrap on the hook.

Notice the cool, variegated appearance of the wrapped body in the illustration below. It is ready to combine with other materials to produce a number of different patterns. Remember Al only used 8 turns to produce the effect you see here; think of the many variations you could produce by just changing the colors or the number of twists in the dubbing loop.

Marc Petitjean Magic Tool Set With Split-Thread Loops

In this section we are briefly bringing this interesting tool set to your attention. The “pinch block” and the “pinch clamp” are illustrated here. Note: For those of you interested in the Petitjean tools and how to use them go to YouTube and type the above subject in the search engine. You’ll soon see we do not come close to “scratching the surface” with our minor presentation here. We think a whole book could be written about this great tool set.

Though interesting, the tools are not the focus of this section. Instead the lesson in this chapter is the type of loop we’ll be using. It’s called a “split-thread” dubbing loop. So what is a split-thread loop? The answer is very simple. It is nothing more than a loop made by using a bodkin (or needle) to split the thread lengthwise into two strands attached at the top and bottom of the loop by the original thread. The next two pictures demonstrate that process (on the left Al has used the point of a bodkin to split the thread and on the right he is using his forefinger to keep the loop from closing).

Below Al is using the “pinch block” to fold a section of hackle AROUND a few tufts of dubbing. First he places the feather (curved side UP) with the stem over the “pinch slot” and several small tufts of dubbing directly on top of the stem.

Next he is using a section of fine wire to jam the feather and dubbing combination DOWN into the pinch slot.

After jamming the feather and dubbing combination down into the slot as far as he wants, Al then pulls the wire out of the left side of the pinch-block tool (first picture below). He then trims the excess feather off each side of the block (second picture below).

In the picture below Al is using the “clamp tool” to grasp the part of the fibers sticking out of the top of the pinch block.

Here Al has removed the pinch block and is using a pair of scissors to trim off the waste stem of the feather.

In the next illustration Al is slipping the trimmed feather ends into the split-thread dubbing loop. Notice there is a short section of feather stem he missed. He’ll have to trim that off before he can continue with the process.

After removing the clamp tool from the combination feather and dubbing unit it is ready to receive multiple thread twists to anchor them in place. Notice: Off camera Al did TRIM off the errant section of hackle stem.

From this point in the process, you can use either the direct or indirect rotation method of twisting the fur and fibers in the split-thread loop. Below is the resulting fur and feather fiber “brush” ready to wrap around the hook.

After wrapping the twisted unit around the hook, the application will produce a fly part that looks and acts buggy in or under the water’s surface.

Dubbing Pickers

Sometimes after wrapping dubbing on a hook especially after using a dubbing loop to do so, we find picking some of the fibers out of the fly will make it appear a lot more “buggy” to the fish. In addition, the picker will rescue those fibers accidentally trapped in the “dubbing loop process.” Here Al is using his favorite dubbing picker (a gun cleaning bore brush) to pick out the thorax on a fly while holding several other dubbing picker tools in his left hand. Which picker style to use is a tiers choice; they all do a good job.

Closing Thoughts

As we stated in this chapter’s first paragraph, it is one of the longest and still we have barely scratched the surface of what can be done with a dubbing loop. Yes, it can be used to apply dubbing but is equally functional to apply or strengthen other materials. One thought that comes to mind is using a dubbing loop to strengthen peacock herl. The addition of a dubbing loop to a fragile peacock body changes it into one that is bulletproof.   You can check out our YouTube Channel for more information if interested.

Reprinted from A Dozen Dubbing Techniques: How to Tie!! with permission of the authors.

For more information and further techniques, I recommend purchasing a copy of Gretchen & Al’s book.