Wray’s Hammer

[Bryan W]

Wray’s Hammer

 

First off let me say my inspiration for this fly came from Lance Egan’s headstand. http://www.flytyingforum.com/pattern4807.html.  I wanted to make a fly that looked like Lance's headstand but I did not have
all the materials at the time.  So the hammer is what I came up with.

 

Thread: Orange Thread

Hook: Size 10 Sucd Hook

Tail: Red Fox Squirrel Tail, Stacked

Eyes: Med Bead Chain Eyes, Gold or Black

Body: Back, Awesome ‘Possum Dubbing, Brown

Body: Front, Hareline dubbing, Rust Orange

Hackle:  Whiting 100 fly pack size 12 brown

Legs: Round rubber legs, brown or orange

 

Place hook in vice, with the eye slightly tipped down

Apply thread base to hook shank

Bind the bead chain eyes to the hook.  I like to place my eyes just back off the eye of the hook; this makes it easier to whip finish later

Select a small clump of red fox squirrel tail and stack it in a hair stacker.  I like to keep my tails about 2 to 3 times the thickness of the hook shank. Also I try to keep my tail length just
shorter than the hook shank length on this fly

Bind the squirrel tail to hook shank to a point just behind the bead chain eyes, trim excess

Readjust hook to a normal tying position

Advance thread to rear of fly

Tie in brown hackle

Next dub a brown body to about, or just past, the hook point

Palmer hackle forward, make at least 3 to 4 turns

Tie off hackle

Next dub a small orange body to the eye of the hook make this step about half the final body thickness this helps with holding the legs in place

Advance thread to the back third of the orange segment of the body

Tie in brown or orange legs

Finish dubbing the orange body, around the legs and over the eyes, to match the thickness of the brown body

Whip finish and trim legs you want good movement out of the legs so don’t cut them to short!

 

Tail variant: I also sub the squirrel tail for rabbit fur cut from a zonker strip.  I like to use Rust or a Crawdad color.  This can add lots of
action to this fly!

Comments and questions are welcome

Enjoy

Bryan!

[Greg McWilliams]

Bryan, Great job on the fly!!! When you tie on the bead chain eyes do you figure eight the thead around the eyes???

[Bryan W]

"Great job on the fly" Thanks Greg!

I like to use a front to back then back to front making an X over the eyes to set them in place. Next I use figure eight wraps. Then to finish them off I will take a few wraps around the bottom of the thread bundle, under the eyes, just to tighten things up.

[Greg McWilliams]

How do you fish this fly? Floating line? Sinking line?

[Bryan W]

It depends on where the fish are at in the water column. I use what is needed. But I find my best luck is near the bottom with this fly.

[Bryan W]

Just put together this little video of how this fly is made.  Comments Welcome.

 

HAMMER VIDEO

[Greg McWilliams]

Great Job on the video Mr. Bryan!!!!! 2 thumb's up great family veiwing!!!!!!

[Bryan W]

Any luck out there with this one?