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Reinforced Peackcok Herl Bodies

1359 Views 11 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  PETI, 
Bajema
Found this video from Phil Roweley with a neat trick for peacock herl bodies. I found it helpful, so I figured I'd share it here.

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cabezon
Nice technique. I've often used wire to do this, especially on a fly that would normally have wire ribbing anyway.
Steve
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Bajema
Tried this with a loop of red krystal flash. It added a nice bit of sparkle.
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tkww
My favorite method for reinforcing herl is using ice dub instead. :p

But to the point, I might have to try the loop. I've often used a single strand of thread and twisted the herl/thread together to make a rope. But sometimes the hurl breaks before I get it as tight as I'd like. Maybe two strands of thread would help.
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Bajema
tkww said:
My favorite method for reinforcing herl is using ice dub instead. :p
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I've done that plenty of times as well.:)
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john gates
Nor vise solves this. Tie in and spun it up next to your thread holding on front of hook eye.
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Tom House
Great little trick. Now if I can just remember to use it next time I do a peacock body

TC
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bobduck
Enjoyed the comment about adding red crystal flash. I tie a small
herl bodied bugger by adding a couple strands of peacock crystal flash which also gives a nice little sparkle which has been highly effective
on lakes.
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Jim Darden
I know this technique, or you can just spin it around the tying thread. I doesn't look as nice as wrapping the herl up the body but certainly lasts longer on the fly. One little thing that IMO improves the look, is to tie the herl in by the tips rather than the butts, it seems to give me a better looking body......try it and see what you think....
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tkww
Jim Darden said:
I know this technique, or you can just spin it around the tying thread. I doesn't look as nice as wrapping the herl up the body but certainly lasts longer on the fly. One little thing that IMO improves the look, is to tie the herl in by the tips rather than the butts, it seems to give me a better looking body......try it and see what you think....
Click to expand...
I've done the single strand (of thread) a lot. It's definitely better than nothing. The butts vs tips thing definitely impacts taper bulk. I've also mixed them sometimes (when using multiple herls), and and cut off the extreme tips (too fragile) and butts (too stiff).
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Jim Darden
tkww said:
I've done the single strand (of thread) a lot. It's definitely better than nothing. The butts vs tips thing definitely impacts taper bulk. I've also mixed them sometimes (when using multiple herls), and and cut off the extreme tips (too fragile) and butts (too stiff).
Click to expand...
Thanks tkww, I should have added the comment on clipping off the tips......that is important
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PETI
A tool for that purpose made from a paperclip, thanks Chris.

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