Peacock Herl

[wschmitt3 0]

Looking for opinions on wrapping peacock herl.

 

When tying flies with peacock herl like P.T. Nymph, Prince, and Zug Bugs I typically attach the peacock herl using the following method.

 

First I line up the tips and snip off about a quarter inch. I then attach them to the rear of the hook shank. Once attached I twist the herl (typically 2 or 3 strands) until it looks like a rope with none of the stem visible. Then as I wrap I it comes untwisted a little so I twist it back into shape. Then (obviously) when I reach the point I want to stop I tie it off with a couple wraps.

 

I came to this technique on my own (I think, don't remember seeing it any where) when tying a few months ago because I found that when I was using herl I could see the stem in my flies and felt like it was likely taking something away from the fly.

 

Does any one use this same method? Is there a better way?

[muskyhunter81 0]

I don't twist the herl to a rope. I just line up the herl strands together and then wrap them around the hook shank at the same time, no twisting here. In fact, I have never heard of twisting the herl into a rope. Anybody else?

[heavynets 0]

I do it both ways, depending on how much bulk I want.

[rockworm 0]

It is fairly common practice to twist several herls together to make a rope that resists breaking. And if one herl does break it is held in place by the others. If you want your body to be even stronger, tye in a thread loop before twisting.

[Chase Creek 0]

I tie in the strand(s) of herl, then form a dubbing loop with the thread. Then I wrap the herl around one leg of the loop 3 or 4 times, then twist the loop and wrap around the hook shank. Makes a very durable herl body.

[wschmitt3 0]

Great, thanks for the feedback. I figured I wasn't doing anything crazy because I liked the end result.

 

Forming the dubbing loop is something I've seen a time or two but never incorporated into a pattern. Ill have to give it a whirl.

[Piker20 0]

I have found the stem shows for two reasons. Either poor quality herl so shows through or twist isn't consistent and the flue doesn't lie up same on every turn. This can be worse if you twist multi strands and one is out of sink with rest.

For my flies now I wrap untwisted but tie the weaker tip portion onto the hook shank, coat with a little varnish and then wrap herl over that.

[agn54 0]

I've done both but prefer just wrapping the herls without twisting them. One tip I picked up somewhere, is to leave your thread hanging next to where you begin wrapping forward and let the herls push the thread to the tie off point. This keeps the herls together without separating.

[flytire 0]

leave a tag of thread at the bend or tie in fine wire

 

tie in one herl at the eye and one herl at the bend

 

wrap the eye herl to the bend and then wrap bend herl forward over the previous herl

 

wrap the thread tag/wire through the herl to the eye

 

just another way of wrapping herl

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Isn't there something about right handed tiers only using herl from the left side of the stick, and left handed tiers using herl only from the right side of the stick for best result?

[wschmitt3 0]

That sounds like an old timers tale.

[flytire 0]

Where did you hear that?

 

The Internet.

 

And you believed it?

 

Yeah.

 

They can't put anything on the Internet that isn't true.

[mikechell 0]

"Isn't there something about right handed tiers only using herl from the left side of the stick, and left handed tiers using herl only from the right side of the stick for best result?"

 

Did you also know that you can buy a left handed Crescent Wrench? Did you know that pencil erasers are pink because they are made from recycled bubble gum?

 

Just joking.

[phg 0]

You can make your peacock herl rope a bit stronger by twisting the herls around your tying thread, and then wrapping the whole thing forward, with the thread as a core. Don Ordes demonstrated this technique several years ago. It's a variation of his rope dubbing technique. I've been using it ever since he introduced it in an online article on the old VFB WEB site. It also works with pheasant tail fibers for a more durable pheasant tail nymph.

[Jaydub 0]

The technique I use the most is quick and makes a durable body.

 

1. Take several herls and trim off the fine tips.

 

2. Tie the herl in by the tips at the rear of the body.

 

3. Wrap the herl around the tying thread 3 or 4 times in a clockwise direction (looking down).

 

4. Pull enough thread out of the bobbin so it is somewhat longer than the herl.

 

5. Pinch the ends of the herl and the thread together outside of the bobbin.

 

6. Wrap the the herl and thread forward keeping them pinched together (don't let go) . As you wrap, the herl and thread will twist tighter.

 

7. When you reach the stopping point, unwrap the herl from the thread and tie it off.