If I am going to do any kind of painting of the body, then it goes on first. If I am doing foam bodies that will be left alone, then I glue the body on after finishing the tail. This also goes along with the fact that my foam body poppers are strictly for catching fish ... I am not too concerned with them being pretty. With painted flies, I am trying to improve my skills and looking for that pretty picture fly.
"Give advice when asked. Give praise when appropriate. Give discipline when needed. Give respect always."