My latest crazy experiment...herl hackle

[letumgo]

Herl Hackle (concept fly)
Hook - Daiichi Model 1150 / Size 10
Thread - Benecchi 14/0 (Black)
Rib - Stretchy Beading Cord (Black)
Abdomen - Medium Mylar Tinsel (Silver)
Hackle - Peacock Herl (tips tyed out over the eye)
Thorax - Peacock Herl (reinforced in thread dubbing loop - ala Mitch's Bobbin method)
Head - Tying thread

I was playing around at the vice again this morning and it occurred to me that the thin ends of the peacock herl would make an interesting hackle. I pulled ten peacock herl fibers out of the pack and roughly "evened" the tips by braking them off with thumb nail. Grasp the ends of the peacock herl in one hand, and then pinch the ends in your other hand, pressing your thumb nail into the ends. Give a quick pull, breaking off the ends of the herl. This method creates a more natural looking end, than you would get by simply cutting them with your scissors. Each end has a cool little "V-shaped" notch at the end.

The peacock herl fibers are tyed in, facing out over the eye of the hook (butt ends are hanging out over the bend of the hook). Make two loose wraps and then distribute the herl fibers around the hook shank, but pressing you thumb nail into the bundle. The length of the hackle can be adjusted at this point, by pulling on the butt ends. Wrap your tying thread securely towards the bend of the hook, stopping where you want the thorax to begin. Form a thread dubbing loop and then draw the butt ends of the peacock herl parallel with the thread loop. Twist the herl and thread together forming a thread-reinforced herl chenille. Wrap the herl chenille forward, forming the thorax. Secure it in place with a couple tight wraps of thread and trim off the excess.

The "herl hackle" is then formed by pressing the tips back towards the bend of the hook and forming a small thread damn (head) in front of the herl. This will hold the tips in place.

The tips of the peacock herl are very flexible, so they move very easily. This should make them a nice hackle material. I do not anticipate any more problems from breakage than you would have from standard hackle fibers.

[DUBBN]

You never cease to amaze me Ray! Great work!

[CreationBear]

Ha, we both have Intruders on the brain... It would be interesting (though expensive!) to play around with burned rhea and the like to see just how everything scales.

[chase creek]

Ray - great idea.
I can see you now, in your white lab coat, hunched over the vise, cackling, while your terrified wife looks on thru the doorway. Your cat (or dog, don't know which) is hiding under the bed, trembling. The neighbors have long since given up on trying to guess what goes on in "the room". Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts haven't been to your door trying to sell cookies/popcorn in 3 1/2 years.

But know that we here appreciate your work. Going to try that idea out.
Thanks

[letumgo]

John (CB) - It's funny you should mention intruders. I keep finding myself reaching for steelhead hooks lately. I've been tying soft hackle versions to fish for steelhead. It won't be long...Yesterday, when I was driving my son to college, I noticed a few maples which have begun welcoming fall (first crimson leaves of autumn). I usually go thru a "steelhead phase" each August/September, as "the itch" grows stronger. I can't wait to hook that first silver bullet of fall. Boy can they put on a fight. HANG ON AND BOW TO A LEAPING FISH!!! (dropping the rod tip to protect your tippet)

Here is one I was working on this afternoon:


(Claret Peacock & Teal Soft Hackle)
Hook - Gamakatsu Salmon Tapered Up Eye / Model T10-6H (Size 8)
Under Body - Woolly Nylon (White)
Abdomen - Legs Alive Stretchy Lycra (Claret)
Thread - Benecchi 14/0 (Black)
Thorax - Peacock Herl (Reinforced in thread dubbing loop)
Hackle - Teal Body Feather (Natural) - Tyed in by the tip, folded and wrapped as a collar
Head - Tying Thread coated with one layer of Sally Hansen's "Dries Instantly" clear nail polish

Rodger (cc) - chuckle - good thing I haven't found a way to work electricity into the mix (humor).

[Mataura mayfly]

Why do I get the feeling that first pattern should be flailing the herl hackle and shouting "warning- danger, danger....." in a robotic voice?

Great looking couple of flies Ray. The first like an Alexandra with the herl as a hackle instead of a wing.

[letumgo]

"Danger Will Robinson!".

Thanks Jeff. I need to revisit the soft hackle conversion of the Alexandria. I tried earlier, but failed miserably.

[Mataura mayfly]

I do not envy you trying..... I imagine herl would not co-operate that well. If you held a bunch in your right hand, tips facing out and as lined up as you can and you introduced said bunch over the hook eye you could thread wrap then rather than split thread hackle?

I don't know!

I like the Purple Peril and have soft hackled it a bit, don't know it qualifies as it still has the hir wing, but I Kiwi-ised it and use deer hair.

[William Anderson]

Ray, I'm enjoying your round of Steelie patterns. That big peacock hackle would likely work out for smallmouth as well. Great opportunities when you step up to a larger scale for these. That teal hackle is just elegant, as usual. Nice touch.

w

[tie2fish]

Beautiful steelhead fly, Ray. It's really hard to beat silk and peacock, especially when they are applied flawlessly in such great proportions, and the teal hackle just sets the whole thing off.