I use a 3 or 4 turn whip finish which I do with my fingers in a few seconds and without the need for tools.

The man who showed me how to do this was non-other than Richard Walker using a piece of string. I was just turned 21 at the time. Prior to that I had been using half hitches. A great tip from a great angler and fly dresser make no mistake.

Yet I still see many so called expert fly dressers who cannot tie a simple whip finish whether with their fingers or a tool.

One poor guy takes an absolute age to finish a fly using multiple half hitches. And what a pigs ear he seems to make too.

But how do you do it?

Hi' Ron. My first reaction was to suggest a fly swatter. but I learned how to tie whip finishes with my fingers very early on in my fly tying experience.
My standard finish is four half hitches from the eye back to the root of the hackle, wing etc, then a four or five turn whip finish ---- always made by winding forwards to the eye. Those who wind the whip from eye to hackle are doing it the wrong way. You can prove that using a piece of garden cane and parcel string. I have seen numerous tyers doing it incorrectly, but have never caused embarrassment by mentioning it in public. TC

Hi,
I use a 6 turn whip finish, dunno why i use 6 turns i just always did it that way. i saw a video on youtube on how to do it with your hands. I tried tools but prefered my hands.
Tom(morpheus)

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buzzers for me, I am a convert!!!

Ive seen a few videos on you tube on how to do a whip finish with your fingers and it looks easy enough. Looks easier to do than half hitches.

I've never tied flys though.

2-3 turn whip on tiny flies, as in 20's and below, with a tiny dab of varnish.

anything bigger is a defo 3 turn whip with varnish. some ties, like spiders that use wax, im happy just to have a 3 turn whip on without varnish.

I use a matarelli type whip finisher, the spring loaded ones just dont suit me at all. I used to do half hitches

A couple of half hitches for me.

I learned years ago (from a book) how to do whip finishes by hand. When I got back into fly fishing and fly tying a couple of years ago I found them difficult to do - my fingers and thumbs seem to be much less agile than in my youth! Recently I bought a whip finish tool from McHardys (of Carlisle) but it came with no instructions and I couldn't figure out how to use it
I looked on u tube and saw some American videos, but the tool was slightly different. I got the idea though and have since mastered it! I've used it on over 50 flies now and it does seem a bit easier than tying by hand .

Keith

I was taught how to "Finish a Fly", on the moon, by Elvis, with my eyes only. I was just turned 14 and 3/4's

There are a couple of fly patterns where it pays to put in a quick whip finish before the final whip finish. This takes no time at all. I never use half hitches at all these days, in fact I don't think I could do one now.

I tried to do a whip finish using the whip finish tool some time ago. I gave up and chucked the whip finish tool in the bin!

Catching a Trout usually works for me.


Whip finish tool (Veniard)is my weapon of choice though I can hand whip I seldom do so now. I find a tool gives better placement of turns especially on smaller patterns. Can see no reason to finish with half hitches, I occasionaly do use one if I want a breather between larger patterns like Hair Wing Salmon & just want to secure my work but other than that no.
Tight Lines

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"The Future's Bright The Future's Wet Fly"