Getting Started with the Articulated Shank™
The Articulated Shank is a fly tying material intended to simplify the tying of articulated streamer
flies.
It will not be suitable for every possible type of articulated fly, but it can a very useful component
in many of the popular styles of articulated flies being tied today. These include single-hook and
two-hook articulated streamers, surface poppers and sliders, and also as an alternative to using
a Waddington shank or “sacrificed hook” method for tying free-swinging stinger hook style flies.
Summary:
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Easier-and-faster to tie articulated streamers by eliminating some of the traditional articulated
tying steps and materials.
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Articulation promotes a more realistic movement of the fly in the water.
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Fly Tiers can easily increase the overall length of their streamer patterns.
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Articulated flies significantly reduce the amount of “leverage” a hooked fish can place on the
fly enabling more and bigger fish to be landed.
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Available in 3 shank lengths (20mm, 35mm and 55mm) catering to a range of streamer
lengths (typically 3” / 7.5cm upward) and hook sizes (typically from #4 upwards to 3/0).
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For weighted streamers, the articulated shank is designed to fit and be combined with the
Fish-Skull™ in the Small-Medium, Medium and Large sizes or can be used with dumbbells.
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Made of the quality, high strength 316 stainless spring steel allowing it to be used in saltwater.
Applications
The following sections are intended to give you some
ideas
on how the Articulated Shank™
can be used in several different styles of articulated fly.
1. Single-hook articulated flies.
2. Streamers with free-swinging stinger hooks.
3. Articulated Poppers or Sliders
4. As a connector or “daisy chain” in two-hook articulated flies.
For each scenario we include some basic fly architecture, advantages and tying steps. We also
provide various design examples to give some ideas to get started on your own creations.
This should hopefully provide you with a start, but the exciting thing is that the possibilities for
innovative new articulated fly techniques, styles, lengths and hook size combinations is only
limited by your imagination…
Happy tying and fishing!
Martin Bawden
