tying in biot tails

[flyty]

Sheesh! How are you supposed to tie in biot tails on a nymph--that is so they extend out parallel to the table top with a split?

[Fred]

Try holding them in place and doing a couple of loose wraps before tightening them down.

[MOKE]

Apply a *small* ball of dubbing at the point that you intend to split your tails.
Then tie your biots in just behind, or towards the eye, using the dubbing ball to force the split, making sure one go right and the other goes left.
Loose wrap and tighten down will draw the biots into the split you desire.
With practice you can split, and secure in 2 or 3 wraps.
You can also splay dry mayfly tails in this fashion.
This works real well for dry fly tails.

Hope this helps.

Now that I think about it, the reason I worked out the Spring Creek Legs,
(aka "Chicken Legs"...thanks Fred, lol!), was to compliment my version of the biot body mayfly nymphs. I wasn't happy with what I saw for legs on these wonderfully designed bodies. So I tied these nymphs, and the AP nymphs with the "chicken legs" technique.

MOKE....again :)

[flyty]

Thanks for the suggestions. I discovered a method that works better for me. If anyone cares, here it is:

First, I tie in the biots as a unit on top of the hook shank using the AK Best method of holding the tips with the butts downward at a 45 degree angle towards the hook point on the nearside of the hook. Then I wrap a loose wrap over the tie in point and snap down on the bobbin, and immediately wrap another wrap next to the first winding towards the hook eye using the thread tension to pull the biot butts on top of the shank. Then I take one more wrap of thread towards the hook eye. Now for the trick: let the bobbin hang and take hold of each biot butt and draw them apart. The tips will open like a pair of scissors. You can adjust the length at that point to. Then, pull the biot butts down on either side of the shank, and take two tight wraps towards the hook eye. Trim the butts and cover with thread.

[Ouzel]

Both Moke's and A. K's methods will work for the tying in process but there is a small point I would like to bring up.

Turkey biots are prefered for their length when you need to cover a hook with multiple wraps but for just tails or legs I like to use Goose biots.

I find Goose biots a bit tougher then the Turkey biots and still use them if I am covering a small hook or just a section of the fly.

[MOKE]

My favorite way to handle biots, prior to body wrapping, is after they have soaked for a while in a solution of water with a teence of dish soap as a wetting agent.
"Can you beleive your hands are soaking in it?....Madge (c. 60s / 70s)

After they have soaked for a little while they become ultimately more pliable.

Not that this has anything to do with your tail splitting question.

MOKE

[Ouzel]

It does not need to, you're still a giggle.

Madge! Next you're going to dig up the "Tip Top Bread Lady"; but that might have been just in the midwest.

How about the Hamm's Beer Bear? That is still considered one of the top advertising commercials in history because they brought in soooo much money for Hamm's.

As a matter of fact, you might pass for the Bear of Devine Refreshment.

[MOKE]

Though my favorite deevine ads of present are the Miller High Life good old boy club.
Bad paraphrase;
"When the last of the real fishermen turn in thier rods for ... don't come crying to me if all you get is cupcakes"...or something to that effect.

Or the one with the California Cows thinking that earthquakes are free foot massages..... Cows getting all giggly.
California Cheese, from happy cows :)

Peace
MOKE