Stu Farnham of Sandy Oregon, e-mailed in this suggestion, and I think it
really sings. It is simple, to the point, and best of all it really works.
So have your ears, and eyes open for a great suggestion. ~ Steven McGarthwaite
One of the bugaboo's of fly tiers is keeping the eye clear. This is
especially problematic for novices, and when tying dry flies with traditional
(collar) hackle.
Most off us were taught to tie in our hackle extending back over the
body, and wrap forward towards the eye. Tying off and trimming the hackle,
and making a neat head, without tying down stray hackle fibers crowding the
eye. Which is often a problem.
One technique used to solve these problems, is inversion: turn the
solution on its head. In this case, tie your hackle in with the tip pointing
forward (over the eye) and leaving your tying thread hanging behind where you
want the collar to end.
Wrap the hackle backwards, tie off, and whip finish behind the hackle
collar.
If you want a head, tie it before wrapping in the hackle.
I just tied a dozen size 26 dries, for a swap, and this method was a
life saver. ~Stu Farnham
Please check out the Fly Tying Section, on the
Bulletin Board, on FAOL too.
If you have any questions, tips, or techniques; send them along.
Someone else thought up most of this material before we did,
they just forgot to tell anyone about it. Or else we just
forgot about it, while learning something else. Let us
share with each other, all the things we know!
~ Steven H.
McGarthwaite (Chat Room AKA Parnelli)
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