- 1). Hold the jig-head hook with the lead head down, and dip only the head into the lacquer bottle. Hold the jig head down over the bottle and let the paint slide off until it stops dripping. Hang the jig-head hook from a string line head down for 1 hour to dry.
- 2). Clamp the bend portion of the hook between the vise jaws so the hook shank and head are parallel to the table top. Lay the end of the tying thread on the hook shank directly behind the jig head and wrap the thread over it in a clockwise direction to lock it down.
- 3). Continue wrapping the thread around the hook shank, moving toward the bend of the hook and keeping the wraps tight against each other. Stop wrapping halfway down the shank, and then wrap the thread back to the jig head.
- 4). Let the bobbin hang behind the head, keeping tension on the thread. Dip the point of the bodkin into the fly head cement, and paint cement over the layer of thread all around the shank. Let the cement dry for 5 minutes before proceeding.
- 5). Select a marabou feather, and pinch all the fibers from one side of the feather's stem between your thumb and forefinger. Cut the fibers off against the stem, and lay the fibers on top of and parallel with the hook shank, butt ends toward the head. Adjust the fibers so the tips extend past the bend of the hook for the same distance as the length of the hook shank.
- 6). Tie the fibers down to the hook shank with three wraps of thread around the butt ends just behind the jig head. Let the bobbin hang, and cut a second bunch of fibers from the opposite side of the marabou feather. Lay it on top of the first bunch, matching the tips, and tie these down with three turns of thread over the first three turns.
- 7). Cut fibers as before from a second feather and set them up against the bottom of the hook shank under the top bunch. Adjust the tips to match the fibers on the top and tie them to the hook shank with three turns of thread. Cut and tie a second bunch of fibers over the first ones on the bottom.
- 8). Trim off the excess butt ends between the thread wraps and the jig head. Wrap thread around the butt ends, forming a 1/8-inch level neck against the back of the jig head. Tie the thread off with three half hitches.
- 9). Dip the tip of the bodkin into the fly-head cement and coat the thread neck. Let the cement dry for 30 seconds and then cut the thread free from the jig.
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