Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Ok, I finally got a decent back-drop made for my vise.  Please note that for photographic purposes, I am using a size 6 3xl streamer hook, and 140 denier black thread for visibility.  I normally do these size 8 and smaller, with 70 denier thread.  Black thread can be used, as it gives good segmentation for the extended body, but a thread color that is a little darker than the marabou used will also work.

The recipe:

Hook:  size 6 3xl streamer (I typically use smaller)

Thread: 140 denier black thread

Tail:  marabou feather barbs, tie extended-body style.

Body:  remaining marabou, rope-dubbed

Wing case:  Pheasant tail barbs

Legs:  remaining Pheasant tail barbs

Eyes:  black bead chain

Head:  thread

Mount a needle in the vise, and start the thread on the needle.

Measure the tip of a marabou feather to shank-length.

Tie the marabou onto the needle where you measured it.

Spiral-wrap the thread 3/4's of the way to the end of the marabou barbs.  At this point, you really want to secure this end.  You might want to try a few half-hitches, but that's a really big loop to create and feed the other end of the feather through.  You might have better luck just brushing some head cement (Sally Hansen's) onto the thread and giving it a couple wraps.

Spiral-wrap the thread back to the tie-in, and secure. I use a few half-hitches.

Carefully slide the extended body off the needle.  Mount a hook in the vise, tie in the thread near the eye, secure the eyes with figure-eight wraps, then wrap the thread to the bend.

Tie the tail to the bend.  I like to do this just forward of the wraps I created when I finished the tail on the needle.  Note the curly-q bit of thread in the marabou.  This is the thread that was started on the needle.  I try to keep this hidden inside the marabou when I tie it in.

Advance the thread to the 50% point.  Tie the pheasant tail barbs.

Advance the thread to the eyes.  Attach a pair of hackle pliars to the PT barbs, and bring them forward.  Twist the marabou into a rope.

Begin wrapping the rope-dubbed marabou.

When you reach the PT barbs, flip them to the back, and continue wrapping the rope-dubbed marabou forward.  Note that it's getting rather shaggy.  This is due to the sheer size of the feather I'm using (not a blood quill).  If you have "stragglers", you can trim them off, or just shorten them.  They do add movement, so it's your call.

Tie the marabou down.  Normally I would do this with just a couple thread wraps.  Because of the size, I used 5 or 6 thread wraps, and even used a half-hitch.  Cut off the remaining marabou.

Bring the PT barbs forward and tie down behind the eyes.

Split the bunch of PT barbs, pull them back to the bend, and tie them down.

Finish the head, and let Sally do her work.  Not, I also used some Sally Hansen's on the end of the tail, and the little bit of thread that started to unravel near the bend of the hook.

The finished bug!

Views: 521

Replies to This Discussion

Super tie Allen love it. You make it look so easy can't wait to try it and again thanks.

Allen.Allen---- your so talented and what a great tie and super step by step show how. Thanks for shareing.

 

Semper Fi

Great SBS!

RSS

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
1 hour ago
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Hit a different river today, this time working beavers are more beneficial than river otters……surface temperatures at 76.4 degrees"
2 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

augpick

"The black under the eye and a business mouth……..👍, a true predator!"
18 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

augpick

"Yes, and mean eyes, Jeff. A bandit with the black across the Eye!"
yesterday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"I found an influx of salt water in some creeks and the bite was muted, moved inland to locate better water conditions and it paid off.."
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"We finally started settling down from crazy water level swings from Hurricane Erin, coolest surface temps in August in 15 years here…"
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

augpick

"Distinct colors and markings……pretty chain pickerel……"
Wednesday
John Sheehan posted photos
Wednesday
John Sheehan posted a photo
Wednesday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

late augspoongill

"Me too ,Jeff!"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Picture of our Water Level Impacted by Hurricane Erin….8/26/2025

You see where I placed the yellow circle we lost two feet of water level which empties many…
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

late augspoongill

"I enjoy using small tackle…..I always go to it when the water temperature dips below…"
Tuesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

late augspoongill

"Having a little fun with the gills….."
Tuesday
John Sheehan posted photos
Tuesday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Mid August shore

"This Bass was wound  , Dick. High 70-80 degree water temp."
Aug 21
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

md august shore 2

"I hear ya Dick ,but its been a long time finding numbers of these great critters for me !"
Aug 21

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service