Kevin Van Dam Forums

Whats the best way to add a feather to a topwater? Glue then braiding it on was my idea. But I wanted to ask some people that are more knowledgable then me in this area.

What do you mean? to the back treble? tie with Kevlar fly thread then seal with head cement. Going to need a wide mouth vise to do it.

Easier to buy the hooks already dressed, most places sell them.

Ya the back treble. Sorry I meant to say that. But ya I know they sell them. I just wanted to try and do it myself just to say Ive done it before. Thanks BBK.

Pick up a cheap fly vise, usually around $10-$15. it will help you a TON.

You need:
a vise
A bobbin
Kevlar Fly Thread (strong stuff)
A whip finishing tool
Head cement (some use super glue but I personally dont like it)
And of course the feathers

Thanks BBK. I guess I will hold off on doing it. I cant aford to buy all that at this time. LoL. I didnt realize it would take that much. Live learn fish. LoL

You could get all of that for about $15-20 if you go the cheap route.

Here is an easier way to dress up your trebles.  Get some flashabou and some crystal flash look in your local fly shop.Take about 10-15 strands of flashabou and cut about 6-8 inches in length.  Take the crystal flash and using about 8-10 strands also cut about 6-8 inches in length.  Pinch all of it together and pass thru the eye of the treble and pinch in equal lengths down the shaft of the hook take a rubber collar that you would use for making jig skirts and press it over the eye of the hook and down to the dressing.  Your done put the hook back on the bait and go fishing.  For a better tutorial go to wired2fish.com.

BBK - 19 August 2011 04:17 PM

What do you mean? to the back treble? tie with Kevlar fly thread then seal with head cement. Going to need a wide mouth vise to do it.

Easier to buy the hooks already dressed, most places sell them.

Agreed, the trebles that come already dressed are the easiest to work with. But if you wanted to tie one on your own, you probably find a fly tying video on you tube.

Thanks guys. I will check into both ways of doing this.

  I tie my own trebles, as well as flies…. I can hook you up with a tutorial if you’re interested…

Bassin Addict - 01 September 2011 06:54 AM

  I tie my own trebles, as well as flies…. I can hook you up with a tutorial if you’re interested…

Ditto - I mean look at my name - flymantex - earned that name while stationed in Montana and Wyoming where I tied flies professionally.

I do my own treble hooks now and I even re-tied some Mepps jig dressing for a friend (that was tough because I couldn’t take the hooks off the lures).

Flymantex - 01 September 2011 08:49 AM

Bassin Addict - 01 September 2011 06:54 AM

  I tie my own trebles, as well as flies…. I can hook you up with a tutorial if you’re interested…

Ditto - I mean look at my name - flymantex - earned that name while stationed in Montana and Wyoming where I tied flies professionally.

I do my own treble hooks now and I even re-tied some Mepps jig dressing for a friend (that was tough because I couldn’t take the hooks off the lures).

You could do what I did, I was having a lot of fish come off on mepps so I replaced the hook with a gama treble.

I cut the eye of the hook off with big wire cutters, put a tiny split ring on, and put on the newly dressed gama hook.

You could do what I did, I was having a lot of fish come off on mepps so I replaced the hook with a gama treble.  I cut the eye of the hook off with big wire cutters, put a tiny split ring on, and put on the newly dressed gama hook.

I’ll give that a try if he wants me to do some more.

A diehard fly tier will tell you you don’t need cement if you do the whip finish right, but if there are pike or pickerel around use the cement.  I actually don’t whip finish. I use two overhand knots in opposite direction.  I like GSP (gel spun) thread for my flies.

I am a die-hard fly tier, but I use cement, especially on trebles. I routinely use 6/0 and 8/0 thread, so the thread fails, whether its whip finished or not….

Why not just buy a dressed treble from BPS or TW?  Sure, it won;t be unique or customized to your liking, but it’s a feather on a hook! :-D
http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Custom_Bass_Tackle_Feathered_Treble_Hooks_2pk/descpage-CBTFTH.html