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Tying Different Color Heads

Tying colored heads on flies
Class up your heads with some color. Photos: Stuart Foxall.

Last week we shared some fly tying tips from Stuart Foxall on how to finish your flies with tidier looking heads. Today, Stu’s back with a quick tip on how to class up those same heads with some color.

Tying Different Color Heads

So now we know how to tie neater, cleaner looking heads. But how about if we want a different colored head? A color different than your tying thread that is.

Here’s how to add color to your heads using a steelheader’s favorite, Syd Glasso’s ‘Orange Heron,’ as an example.

Tying colored heads on flies
Step 1: Once you’ve finished your fly, create a nice ‘bullet’ shaped head with your thread. You can see I’m using white thread. This will make the final head color look really vibrant. Add a small bead of super glue to the thread and whip finish. Trim your thread.
Tying colored heads on flies
Step 2: Add some Glo-brite floss (I’ve used red here) to the front of the head (nearest the eye of the hook) and start wrapping backwards over itself like you would to attach tying thread to the shank of a hook.
Tying colored heads on flies
Step 3: Cover the entire head with floss and tie off neatly with a whip finish tool. Use the last couple wraps of your whip finish to cover the remaining wraps of the head to reduce bulk.
Tying colored heads on flies
Step 4: Add 2 or 3 coats of Sally Hansen clear varnish for a beautiful, bullet proof, smooth and shiny head.

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