Peacock Herl Tip/Discovery

[FrankB2]

Hey! I've been tying in a serious way for nearly 7 years, and just discovered
this about peacock herl: if you hold the strand by the tip, and stroke the
downward with thumb and index, the herl's fibers come alive! I consider myself to be fairly well skilled at tying, but never saw nor heard of this
being done......I dunno.....

[Frank Whiton]

Hi FrankB2,

No matter how long you tye there is always something new to learn.

Here is another tip using Peacock Herl for bodies. Peacock Herl is not very strong and here is a way to make a tougher body. Take three or four strands of herl about 5" long and tie in at the rear of the body where the tail was tied in. Now make a thread loop like you would for dubbing. Take the thread loop and the strands of herl and grasp with your hackle pliers. Now twist the thread and herl together five or six times turning the hackle pliers in a counterclockwise direction. Don't wind too tight or the herl will break. Wind the twisted herl and thread over the shank in a clock wise direction. As you make each turn brush the flues back. As you wind forward and brushing back the flues you may need to add another twist or two to keep the herl and thread wrapped tightly together. Tie off at the head and finish the fly. You will find this style of body to be a lot stronger than just wrapping the herl.

This is a technique presented in Poul Jorgensen's Book of Fly Tying. I think is is out of print but one of the best fly tying books I have ever seen for a beginner.

Frank

[GeorgeMcFly]

this is a lil quicker way to make a body of peacock. sorry frank I am lazy haha. check out how on this sts bugger. its at 3:40 of the video. . this is another way to make a peacock body. its kinda just like frank says but you don't twist the herl. either way you do it they both work out great. Schmidt's STS Woolly Bugger

[Hardyreels]

Hello Frank B2,

If you want to tie traditional Ginger Quill, Blue Quill, Red Hendrickson's, and the ever popular Quill Gordon, try this;

Take those strands of peacock herl and stroke them backwards with the eraser of a pencil. All of the herl / fibers will come off the quill leaving you ready to soak them in water making them supple so they don't break when you wrap the abdomen of the pattern. After you have finished your fly and the quill has dried over night you can add a tiny bit of Feather tuff or lacquer with your dubbing needle to protect those delicate quill bodies.

There are many flies that will catch a Trout but nothing looks or floats like a genuine quill bodied dry fly made the old fashioned way.

Remember, "Just because you've arrived, don't forget where you came from" I said that, Hardyreels

[GeorgeMcFly]

great tip hardy. this tip is in my fly tying book.

[FrankB2]

Hi Guys,
I must have tied 2 dozen Zug Bugs after discovering that stroking is
almost a necessicity! They now have the big full bodies seen in text books,
and I don't use more than 4 strands on a #12.

Makes me wonder what other materials I need to re-examine......

[FISHN50]

Hi Guys
Instead of making a loop in the tying thread, I just leave a long tag end when I tie the thread to the hook.When I tie in the herl I just twist the thread end along with the herl to strenghten it.

[FrankB2]

Originally Posted by FISHN50

Hi Guys
Instead of making a loop in the tying thread, I just leave a long tag end when I tie the thread to the hook.When I tie in the herl I just twist the thread end along with the herl to strenghten it.

That's pretty much what I've do, but used some very fine silver wire
to wrap the herl before winding it on the Zug Bugs.

[Snaggy]

Thanks FrankB2...
This thread is perfect timing! I'm sitting at work with my fly stuff next to me and decided to make some gnats for this fly swap I'm in. I have some peacock herl sitting here that I purchased last night and wrapped some on a hook just to see how it looked and went up and down the hook 3 times with one strand. It looked good but after reading this I'm guessing this is a no no. I'm going to try some different techniques to see what works for me. I'm winding hackle around the whole thing so this should keep it all together as well (I guess) Thanks guys. Love this forum!



<°((((~{

Hey, you're right. Stroking it makes all the difference. (herl that is) LOL

[GeorgeMcFly]

the hackle works but then you got to worry about the hackle. I made up some griffins gnats using peacock and hackle after a couple fish the hackle broke and came apart. might try some small copper wire next time to reinforce it. has to be light enough to not sink um.