Split-tails, stripped peacock quill and wing-posts

My go-to fly this summer has been a simple #24 paradun - there is something uniquely pleasing about it's form and scale. This size of fly is small without being microscopic. Paraduns are a highly effective pattern, clearly visible on the water and they float well. I always tie this pattern with a split-tail; it looks cool in the fly box but also provides incredible stability ensuring the fly fishes well, even over the choppiest riffle. On smooth water I'm convinced the impression of the split tail resting on the surface film provides an iresistable trigger to feeding trout.
With a little care during tying they can also last a dozen fish or more.

Here's a few tips learnt over the last couple of seasons of tying this pattern. Some of this learning has been a process of trial and error, much of it has been read in the pages of Ed Engle's and A.K. Best's books on tying and most, if not all of these steps have been discussed regularly and in depth with Roy Christie. I'm not covering the whole tying method here, just the bits I've spent most time thinking about in the interests of aesthetics and resiliance.



I almost always tie a split tail using microfibbetts. They are stronger than natural materials, albeit they do not have the aesthetic appeal of well-barred Coq de Leon fibres. You can split the tail by forcing the microfibbetts apart with your thumb nail, then teasing them in to place by applying downward pressure with the pad of your thumb. This looks fine, but the tails will stick together after the first fish and splitting them again on the water is tricky and consumes valuable fishing time.

Splitting tails (by locking them in position) takes practice, but it's worth the effort. This method works for me:

• Bind two microfibbets flat and absolutely central on top of the hook shank with one loose wrap to position correctly and a second tight wrap to hold them securely in place.
• Split the tails with your thumb nail by pushing firmly towards the eye of the hook.
• Holding the nearest tail fibre to the side, ease a single turn of thread under and between the tail and carefully wrap at a 45 degree back over the hook shank.
• Repeat with the opposite side, noting that the thread turn will come over (not under) and between this time.
• Check your work.
• If the tails are sited equidistant apart and on a level plane with the hook shank then apply one further tight wrap of thread.
• Add a tiny drop of thinned cement and leave well alone... you only risk undoing good work.
  

The fine, stripped peacock quills used here are fragile. I apply Dilly Wax between thumb and forefinger rather than water to soften them. This puts floatant in to the heart of the fly and avoids trapping water against the hook.


Tie the quill in at a 45 degree angle to the shank with the darker edge pointing backwards and apply a thin and even layer of Hard As Nails to the threaded hook shank. The angle avoids any harsh twisting as you make the first wrap, and the rear facing dark edge ensures strong segmentation to the abdomen. Take extreme care as you make the first wrap to avoid breaking the quill, then wrap forward with touching turns.

I'll usually wrap the quill (or biot) to the 3/4 point... it's a personal thing but I like the wing-post and thorax to sit just behind the eye of the hook.


Wingposts need to be strong - it's not easy removing a small fly if hooked deeply, the wing-post provides a useful point to grip with hemostats. On the water I apply floatant with my left hand then hold the wingpost (between thumb and forefinger of left hand) to degrease tippet. They need to be up to both jobs. A strong but slim wingpost can be formed as follows:

• Select the amount of wing-post material very carefully. For reference, I'm using one-third of a single strand of Niche Products Siliconised Polypropylene Yarn here.
  
• Secure the yarn with one loose wrap (for positioning) and two tight wraps of thread across the hook shank.
  
• Then apply a tiny drop of Hard As Nails to the thread base.

• Form the wingpost by holding the polypropylene yarn upright.
  
• Flatten the thread and take three tight wraps up the post, and three tight wraps back down the post.
  
• Add tiny drops of Hard As Nails to the wing-post and thorax area.

Check you work. Before the Hard As Nails dries, ease the wing post dead centre and upright on the hook shank.


So, nothing too radical or ground-breaking here... but I hope there's some useful and clear steps described which are interesting to read about. Thread choice is important, there's several steps requiring a tight wrap so know the characteristics of your preferred choice. I'll use Gudebrod 10/0 or Sheer 14/0 for most of my tying, the Gudebrod was used above.
It's also worth applying a drop of thinned cement or Hard As Nails at each stage of tying any fly. This really does reinforce the finished product.

Grip 11911BL #24

I'm not sure how long Grip hooks have been in production, but I've seen several patterns by cool tiers like Hans Weilenmann and Dave Wiltshire tied on them. They are a recent addition to the growing portfolio of quality hooks available at the Fly Tying Boutique. Phil offers worldwide shipping and exchange rates are particularly favourable if you are ordering in the € zone or US dollars at the time of writing - so do check out his online shop.

The Fly Tying Boutique offers the full range of Grip barbless hooks, and this is the first pattern I've had a close look at, not least as it is available in #24. Quality is impeccable and entirely consistent among the 25 in the box I recieved. The point is super-sharp (barbless hooks always seem sharper than barbed variants) and the gape and shank length make for a sublimely proportioned hook, ideal for parachute hackled patterns. The fine wire seems to have great strength from the tests I conducted whilst holding the hook in the vice. This simply involves tying 6X tippet to the hook and applying pressure from a range of angles. Serious side and downward pressure is required to distort the hook from it's as-manufactured form. The hook has a sensibly sized eye making tying to tippet a breeze.


On the water, it performs great - I fished a familiar pool with a stripped peacock paradun for 90 minutes taking eight trout, the best tipping just over 13"


Hooks-up are clean and secure, and although I missed a couple of strikes, once hooked every fish was brought safely to hand - and released without fuss or delay thanks to the barbless point.


After eight fish, the point still seems very sharp - and the fly remains fishable - helped by the addition of tiny drops of cement and Hard As Nails at every step of the tying process. Of course this takes longer during tying, but it's worth it.

This is a seriously good hook, and a pleasure to tie on and fish with - right up their with the Daiichi 1100 and 1110. If only the Daiichi's were barbless...