Peacock herl

[MIDGE26]

Question for you tiers out there. I have been tying some peacock herl body flies and it is driving me crazy what is the best way to use this stuff?

[Red.Fly]

Half of the battle is getting quality herl. I'm assuming you're having trouble with it breaking when you wrap it. I always wrap it with my fingers instead of with hackle pliers. I can feel the tension better. Wrapping through it after you tie it in will make your flies more durable. So will wrapping it around your thread before you tie it in. Don't use it too close to the tip as the tips are inherently weak. I typically only use 2/3 rds the length of the herl.

Hope this helps.

[MIDGE26]

So you warp it around your thread and wrap using the thread something like you would dubbing? And yes it keeps breaking its making me say words the kids shouldnt be hearing.

[Red.Fly]

So you warp it around your thread and wrap using the thread something like you would dubbing? And yes it keeps breaking its making me say words the kids shouldnt be hearing.

It can be done that way, yes. I prefer tying it in by the butt, wrapping it with my fingers and then counter wrapping over it with my thread. Every time I try to use my hackle pliers, it breaks on me too.

[Tyson]

Ever since I learned how to do a dubbing loop I have never touched peacock herls. I feel like that same irridescent look can be achieved with the variety of dubbing materials available and dubbing loops are ten times more durable.

[Red.Fly]

Ever since I learned how to do a dubbing loop I have never touched peacock herls. I feel like that same irridescent look can be achieved with the variety of dubbing materials available and dubbing loops are ten times more durable.

Even on Royal Wulff's, Renegades and Zug Bugs? I prefer herl on my dries and dubbing on my wets. I realize a Zug Bug isn't a dry fly.

[Curtis Fry]

Take two or even three fibers -- depending on the size of fly you're tying -- and tie them in close to the butts (I usually clip off the stiffer portions first) and then twist them together with your fingers to form a "rope". Like Red.Fly said don't use a hackle plier. Also, for extra durability, you can tie in a piece of fine wire to use in the "rope" if you want as well.

Another little trick, because there are a LOT of bad herls out there, is before you tie anything in, gently tug at the peacock herl strands (holding the butts and tips) and see if they break. It's better to have them break off the hook than it is when you're tying them in.

[MIDGE26]

Thanks you guys Im going to give it another try now. No kids around to pick up new words.

[Tyson]

Even on Royal Wulff's, Renegades and Zug Bugs? I prefer herl on my dries and dubbing on my wets. I realize a Zug Bug isn't a dry fly.
I prefer dubbing for my nymphs and, uh, er yeah, good point.

[dan moulton]

Wet the herl fiber with some spit and yer finger. The fibers are a bit brittle so wetting them always helps me.

[MIDGE26]

What kind of dubbing do you use to replace the peacock herl? By way I am having better luck now. Thanks you guys.

[Tyson]

What kind of dubbing do you use to replace the peacock herl? By way I am having better luck now. Thanks you guys.
An example might be, if you were to tie say, a pheasant tail nymph. Where the thorax is often tied with peacock, you could make a similar looking thorax by making a dubbing loop, and before twisting the loop use scissors to trim the dubbing parallel with the thread to a width that will be about, say 1-2X the width of a herl. Then when you twist the loop you have a fur chenille that is durable and easy to wrap. You can get ice dub in black, or I think they even have a color called peacock. I mix it with other natural fur dubbing. The possibilities are endless, really. Hope that helps.

[chris]

[QUOTE=Tyson] The possibilities are endless, really. QUOTE]

The ultimate finality to all questions related to fishing. Great finish. The more you attempt to change the more you stay the same.

[nightfish]

Ever since I learned how to do a dubbing loop I have never touched peacock herls. I feel like that same irridescent look can be achieved with the variety of dubbing materials available and dubbing loops are ten times more durable.

How to use dubbing/what dubbing to use in place of herl wasn't his question(although it's a good one). That'd be a great topic for another thread.


I like to make the herl rope with thread too. Like others said, quality herl helps a lot, but you can still use lesser stuff. The nice thing about the rope method is that if some breaks, you're still wrapping the rest of the rope. Any little bits that break are still trapped under thread tension, and any bits that poke out can be trimmed without sacrificing structural integrity.

Another way to reinforce herl wraps is to put a drop of gel superglue on the spot you're wrapping over. Watch where you touch though, because dad's just look silly when they're swearing & waving their glued-together fingers around.

[John Bell]

I finally found out that it doesn't hurt to moisten it.

Like take the selection of Peacock you are going to use and let it set for a while between a couple of paper towels that you have saturated with water.

[«°Ñøvã°»]

I remember awhile back at one of the tying get-togethers, Terry O. tied up some syls midges using herl. If i remember correctly he used a dubbing loop with the herl. The herl tied in bulky, and very durable. Terry, for you guys that dont know, ties for WR and some other fly shops around. Very nice guy.

[skighhigh]

Or buy the fake herl




which I have never used....................


Looks kinda kewl though....