I started a tying class a couple weeks ago at a shop I go to from time to time, and we used biots this week. I had not used them until now, and I think they are pretty neat.
So far I have just made bodies out of them. They look like they’d make good tails, too. What else could they be used for besides bodies and tails?
10 - are you using goose biots or turkey biots? I find that I use goose biots for nymphs (like the prince or a hellgramite) and turkey biots for dry fly bodies - turkey biots are a good bit longer.
10, it is basically a golden stonefly. The tail is Biot, body is yellow and brown wire, Abdomen is peacock ( I love peacock) and the over wing is ORANGE uni-mylar #10. Legs are biot and the bead is Tungsten.
I tied another last night using Yellow wire and BROWN flex tubing. Gives a wider/flat body and I really like that look.
I’ve been using turkey biots for bodies the past several years. They tie fast, float well, and last a long time. I particularly like them to tie Gray Drakes, which are a major hatch on my home river. You use a black biot and more or less rib it with a gray one (of course, visa versa works too). Very nice looking body.
You can also use multiple colors and twist them before you wind them on, you can get some very interesting effects with very little effort.