Two particular problems with streamers are fish failing to get hooked on the strike or losing hooked fish due to leveraged torque of a long-shanked hook. Both of these issues get compounded as the fly size increases since the amount of fly versus the amount of hook point increases and the length of the shaft increases. At least with small patterns a fish stands a better chance of nailing the point, and less chance of tossing the hook. But, small streamers are not always desirable.

An effective way to skirt the issue is to tie articulated patterns. These patterns utilize two hook shanks, and where legal two hook points, to allow a hook to be incorporated well back in the tail without requiring an overly long shank. The resultant hinge will further deter leverage losses. It becomes very plausible to fabricate enormous flies on rather small hooks! In addition to the mechanical advantages, articulated patterns can exhibit increased action as the tail section will tend to "kick" on the retrieve.

I have demonstrated this very basic articulation process using the venerable Woolly Bugger, but the method can be tailored to nearly any tailed streamer pattern.

MATERIALS

Hooks: 3XL Streamer (#6-#10)

Thread: To match tail/body

Tail: Olive Marabou with Pearl Krystal Flash Accents

Connecting Line: 15# Amnesia or other stiff mono

Body: Fine Olive Chenille

Hackle: Black Rooster Saddle Hackle

Place the rear, debarbed, hook firmly in your vise.

Attach your tying thread behind the eye using a jam knot. Lay a base of thread 1/4 of the way to the rear.

Select a complete olive marabou blood quill with long fine, even tips.

Measure the feather so that the tips reach just beyond the hook.

Secure it to the front of the hook so that the feather encircles the hook shank.

Trim the excess.

Select two Krystal Flash strands.

Double them around the thread.

Slide them up to the shank and secure so that there are 2 strands per side.

Finish with a neat "head." Whip and clip.

Trim the flash to be just longer than the tail.

Cut a 12" section on heavy monofilament and clinch knot one end to the tail hook. Set the hook aside for a moment.

Place the forward hook in the vise, debarbed of course, and lay a base of thread.

Pick up the rear hook assembly and measure the mono to where you want the rear hook to extend. I prefer them rather close to avoid fouling, but have imposed a degree of separation in this tutorial for visual purposes.

Bind the mono along one side of the forward hook.

Come around the bottom of the shank and secure the mono back down the other side.

Trim the far side a bit short.

Finish securing by affixing the connection atop the front hook shaft using secure thread wraps. Once done, coat with super glue (not shown).

Secure a section of fine chenille along the shank of the forward hook.

Locate a rooster saddle with sufficiently long barbs.

Strip the base to expose the stem.

Tie the saddle in over top the chenille so that the barb curvature faces forward.

Make the initial wrap of chenille BEHIND the saddle.

Continue wrapping forward.

The final wrap crosses over the shank...

..passes in front of the thread on the far side...

...comes under the shank and is angled to the rear.

Once thread wrap will secure the chenille. Add another for security.

Clip the excess close.

Wrap the saddle forward. The number of wraps is a personal choice. I like many to boost the profile and move more water.

Secure just as we did the chenille.

Pull all the barbs back...

...and form a neat head.

Whip-finish.

A completed Articulated Woolly Bugger!