Tying tails

[notenuftoys 0]

I have a simple problem when tying on goose biot or pheasant or some other type of feather as a tail. What's the trick to keeping them spread apart? Mine tend to bunch together, which is understandable since the thread has pulled them tight onto the hook. Any hints or suggestions for spreading them out?

[blakejd 0]

I have a simple problem when tying on goose biot or pheasant or some other type of feather as a tail. What's the trick to keeping them spread apart? Mine tend to bunch together, which is understandable since the thread has pulled them tight onto the hook. Any hints or suggestions for spreading them out?

You will probobly get some better advice from the great tyers here but heres what I've got. First off tying biot and tying pheasant tails are two different techniques. For pheasant tails I would suggest tying on your tail and then taking a wrap in between the hook shank and the underside of the tail material while pulling it snug between the two. That should cause them to flair. For biots the same technique tends to put the biots at an odd angle. I'm still struggling with my biot tails but the best technique I've found is to build a little bump of thread at the rear of the hook to help push the biots out. It seems that if you position the biots on opposite sides of the hook the biots will naturally tend to pop out to the sides if you give them one good firm wrap up against that bump. There are several good youtube videos that demonstrate the concept if you do a search.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

blake hit it almost perfect you might want to watch your placement of the biots also if you look at the biots there is a natural bend in them if you position them with the bend facing outward against a bump that you built up before tying them in they will go out like blake said

[Old Hat 0]

Biots can be tied on a couple ways. You can cross the biots and tie them on top of the hook at the narrow point of cross section. Make sure they are tight befor you wrap forward over the butt ends or they will be pushed closer together. The other option is with a small ball of thread formed and taking advantage of the natural bend tie them in along the sides of the hook shank, right behind the thread ball so that they flare out a bit more than. I like tie them in together on top preferably.

 

With hackle tails the easiest technique is to keep the thread tag from your initial attachment and wrap it down along the top of the shank as you build your thread base. Tie in your hackle tail fibers in a clump. Bring the thread tag (that you did not cut off) up between the fibers splitting them evenly. Pull the thread tag tight along the top and tie it down with your bobbin thread.

[flytire 0]

http://www.fresnoflyfishers.org/jerrys_fly...t%20tailing.pdf

[FishyboY 0]

for the pheasant tie on your thread like you normally would. then with the excess thread hanging off the hook at the back (dont cut it off) tie in your tail. use the thread to pull between the tail and then tie it back it..... that should help it flair some.

[neoFLYte 0]

http://www.fresnoflyfishers.org/jerrys_fly...t%20tailing.pdf

 

Wow. Excellent tip!

 

[cjforsyt 0]

When I am trying to add flair to the tail I will use all the above methods but I will also use a pinch of dubbing with the thread bump to really spread out the tail when using hackle fibers it will push the tail at a slightly upward angle.