GT Brush Fly Tutorial (Finally Land GT!)
Brushes Quick Picks
- Best All-Around: Enrico Puglisi Minnow Head Brush - A go-to brush for building clean, repeatable baitfish heads on everything from trout streamers to saltwater patterns. The stainless wire core and blended synthetic fibers make it fast to palmer and easy to trim into a wedge profile.
- Best for Flashy Baitfish: Just Add H2O Flash Blend Baitfish Brush - Great when you want shimmer and movement without spending all night stacking fibers by hand. The pre-woven flash blend builds consistent heads and shoulders quickly across multiple sizes and colors.
- Best for Big Streamer Heads: Just Add H2O Sculpting Flash Streamer Brush - Built for larger baitfish profiles and articulated patterns where you want a quick taper and extra presence. The sculpting flash material trims cleanly, so you can shape a broad head in just a few wraps.
- Best for Natural Movement: Enrico Puglisi Foxy Brush - A solid choice for collars and shoulders when you want more “alive” movement on the strip or swing. The arctic fox blend adds a softer, more natural pulse than many full-synthetic brushes.
- Best for Smaller Patterns (No Wire): Hareline Wire Free Synthetic Fox Brushes - Ideal when a wire-core brush feels too stiff or too heavy on smaller hooks and lighter profiles. The thread core stays flexible, making it easier to wrap slim collars and compact bodies.
How to Choose Brushes
Pick the right core: wire vs. thread
Action: Choose a wire-core brush when you need structure, durability, and a brush that “stands up” for bigger heads and bulky shoulders. Choose a thread-core (wire-free) brush when you want a softer wrap for smaller hooks, lighter flies, or more natural flex in the collar.
Avoid if: You’re tying tiny trout flies,many wide, wire-core brushes can overpower small shanks and make trimming harder than it needs to be.
Match brush width and fiber length to the job
Best for: Wider brushes and longer fibers are great for full heads, big collars, intruder-style movement, and baitfish shoulders. Narrower brushes shine for compact collars, small streamers, and controlled bulk on short shanks.
Choose the blend based on the profile you want
Action: For smooth baitfish silhouettes, look at synthetic blends that stack and trim cleanly. If you want a “buggy” shoulder, crustacean texture, or more movement, mixes that include softer fibers (or natural hair blends) are often easier to fish convincingly with fewer wraps.
Build cleaner flies with a simple workflow
Action: Tie in by the core, add a tiny drop of glue/resin to lock the tie-in, then palmer forward with steady tension. After each wrap, sweep fibers back with your fingers or a bodkin to prevent trapping and to keep the profile open for trimming.
Materials & Durability
- Keep cores straight: Store brushes flat or in their packaging so wire cores don’t kink and thread cores don’t tangle.
- Secure the tie-in: A small drop of gel CA, head cement, or UV resin at the tie-in point helps prevent the brush from slipping after trimming.
- Trim with purpose: Start by trimming less than you think you need; you can always take more off, but you can’t put fibers back on.
- Comb between wraps: A quick sweep rearward between turns reduces trapped fibers and makes the finished fly look cleaner and swim better.
Complete Your Setup
Related Gear
- Fly Tying Tools - Bodkins, whip finishers, and dubbing tools help you wrap, pick out, and finish brush-based flies cleanly.
- Fly Tying Hooks - Pair brush width and profile to the right hook length, gap, and wire strength for your target species.
- Fly Tying Dubbing - Useful for dubbing balls, gill flare, and blending transitions where the brush starts/stops.
- Fly Tying Materials - Round out your brush patterns with flash, eyes, and natural materials for contrast and realism.
Related Guides
- How to Tie the GT Brush Fly
- How to Tie a Sculpin Streamer Fly
- How to Tie the Soft Hackle Streamer Fly
- How To Tie the Big Junk Streamer Fly
- How to Tie the Seaducer Streamer Fly
Brushes FAQs
Q: What are fly tying brushes used for?
A: Fly tying brushes let you build bodies, collars, and heads quickly by wrapping a pre-made fiber blend around the hook shank. They’re especially popular for streamers, saltwater patterns, intruders, and any fly where you want consistent bulk and movement.
Q: Are brushes only for big saltwater flies?
A: No,while brushes are common in saltwater and predator streamers, smaller-diameter brushes and wire-free options can work well on trout streamers and compact collar patterns. The key is matching brush width and fiber length to the hook size.
Q: Wire-core vs. wire-free (thread-core): which should I choose?
A: Wire-core brushes add structure and make it easy to build larger, durable heads and shoulders. Wire-free/thread-core brushes stay more flexible and can be easier to wrap on smaller patterns where wire feels stiff or adds unwanted bulk.
Q: How do I keep fibers from getting trapped while wrapping a brush?
A: After each wrap, sweep fibers rearward with your fingers or a bodkin before making the next turn. This keeps collars cleaner, trims easier, and helps the fly swim with a more open profile.
Q: Do I need glue or UV resin when tying in a brush?
A: It’s not mandatory, but a small drop at the tie-in point can help keep the core from slipping once you start trimming and fishing the fly hard. It’s especially helpful on bigger brushes and heavy head/shoulder builds.
Q: What’s the easiest way to shape a brush head into a baitfish profile?
A: Wrap the brush to the head/shoulder area, then trim gradually into a wedge with sharp scissors. Start conservative and check the silhouette from above and the side before taking more off.
Q: Are brushes good for beginners?
A: Yes,brushes can simplify streamer and saltwater tying because you get a repeatable blend and density without building your own dubbing loops. Beginners typically do best starting with moderate-width brushes and practicing clean tie-ins and trimming.
Q: Can I use brushes to tie crustaceans (shrimp/crab) and not just baitfish?
A: Definitely,buggier brush blends are often used for shrimp and crab bodies, collars, and legs. Pair them with the right eyes/weighting and trim to a flatter profile when you want a more crab-like silhouette.