How To Make Any Fly Weedless

In just three steps, you can make any fly weedless. Weed guards can be difficult to tie on some fly patterns and sometimes unanticipated conditions make it tough to fish without one. This simple weed guard is applied when tying the fly to the tippet. For best results, choose a tippet that has a diameter similar to the thickness of the hook wire.

Step 1

Using your favorite knot (I prefer the standard clinch, as the tag exits the knot toward the hook), thread, tie the knot, and tighten the line, leaving a longer tag than usual.

Step 2

Bend the tag around and insert it into the hook’s eye in the opposite direction of the point.

Step 3

Pull the tag through tightly and trim it to the desired length.