Golden Pheasant tippet tails

[Robert T]

When tying in golden pheasant tippet tails, the bright orange side will be on one side only and usually a few twisted barbs show on the 'good' side.

How do you get the bright orange on both sides?

Mixing the tippets up by twisting/rolling makes keeping the tips even a real pain and the distribution of bright side/dull side is never even.

I have tried to match two bunches of tippets with the orange sides out, but since these barbs don't lock together like quill slips I usually wind up with a mess instead.

Any suggestions?

[Bugsy]

redacted.....

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

For GP Tippet tails, I usually only use a few fibers and tie them in "orange side up". This seems to work out ok to my eyes. Are you trying for a fuller tail (large bunch)?

- Jeff

[Robert T]

Bugsy I tried your suggestion and it was a tad better, but still not the results I would like to see.

It may be that you just don't get it to do both sides at once.

I also tried using the center of the tippet feather, with 1/2 dozen barbs on each side of the stem, and sort of rolled it over the hook while tying it in. This did not come out too bad, but still showing the dull sides on a few barbs.

I can get them to look right on one side and since you only see one side while on display I can live with that. For fishing, it don't matter, but I like to tie for display and always trying for the 'perfect' fly (it has not happened yet! )

Bob

[RonMT]

The trick is to roll the feather barbs aorund each other. This is easy to show but hard to explain to a person. Strip the feather so the fibers left on the stem are the longest on the feather with the tipp's you want to see on the fly. Cut a section so the butt's are stright and then just roll it on it's self. If you try this enough you will get the hang of it. It is not hard to do. You will end up with the bright colors on all sides. I have been doing it this way for many many years. It works. LOL Ron

[Robert T]

Will give it a try Ron.

Thanks

[Robert T]

Ron

I gave the 'roll' a try and it seemed to work out pretty good. The roll was more of a fold and about half the barbs went to the other side. I held that and tied to the hook using a 'pinch'. Most of the barbs stayed and there is orange on both sides.

Guess I am not going to get any better than that. Will keep trying.

If I cut out two sections from two feathers and leave the stem in both I can get nice color on both sides, but they don't look right with the stems.

Thanks again

Bob

[kengore]

I select a nice symetrical feather and using the tip if my scissors snip the center stem very close to the tip, forming a V shaped notch. Cut the stem a second time about 6 barbulles down. This should cut free a V shaped section with about 6 barbulles each side. fold the feather in half along the stem, folding the dull sides together. Attach to the hook at the normal tie in point using a "pinch" wrap. You should end up with half the tail fiber facing one way, the other half facing the other. Makes a nice neat tail.

[ducksterman]

I select a nice symetrical feather and using the tip if my scissors snip the center stem very close to the tip, forming a V shaped notch. Cut the stem a second time about 6 barbulles down. This should cut free a V shaped section with about 6 barbulles each side. fold the feather in half along the stem, folding the dull sides together. Attach to the hook at the normal tie in point using a "pinch" wrap. You should end up with half the tail fiber facing one way, the other half facing the other. Makes a nice neat tail.

Since you asked, here's one suggestion:

• 1. Cut a notch out of the end of a tippet feather
  2. Figure how many barbs you want in the tail and trim at the stem, leaving the barbs attached on both sides
  3. Fold with the "bad" sides facing each other and match the tips for length.
  4. Maintain the pinch while securing with a soft loop

I'm curious ...what's the difference?

[ashbourn]

Ralph Graves puts a dot of zap a gap about 1/4 to a 1/2 inch behind the tie in point before he folds them. I just fold the fibers around a dubbing needle, quick and has the same effect.
Joe