Even with a dubbing brush I rib. It may be with the tying thread or x-small wire, but it's still there. I think it adds to the durability and if wire is used adds just a little flash. I try and keep it small to not add too much weight. If I need weight, I used non lead wire as a base. Lately I've been very careful to use the weighting wire on just the bottom of the hook shaft and hold it on with crazy glue. Too many wraps of wire to start with makes for a fat un-natural fly IMHO. Keeping the weight wire on the bottom of the shaft tends to help the fly not flop over and present wrong most of the time.