Bear
I’m of the opinion there isn’t any real quality to peacock herl. Sometimes the cheaper stuff wraps better than the supposed quality stuff that is twice the price.
I snap off the last inch from the herl and then gently tie in the remainder by the tip. I also only use one herl for the head. I know Ollie uses two herls on his flies, but they are too bulky for my liking. Even on that one the herl head should be smaller.
I’m getting use to these hooks, so it will take a while to get my proportions just right. I was also tying without the aid of my glasses, so the fly is below my usual standards, as you can see there is a flat spot at the front of the head where you can see the quill.
The peacock herl is wound in first, generally three wraps, brushing the herl fibres back towards the eye after every wrap. Then the hackle is caught in and wrapped, brushing the hackle fibres forward over the eye. I then catch down the hackle and then the body is formed by taking the silk down the hook shank and back up where I finish with a whip finish tight behind the hackle. I also generally untwist my silk before the whip finish so it lies flatter and cuts down the bulk. To finish I then brush the hackle fibres and peacock herl back to the position you can see.
That’s a damn fine hook, it’s just a pity to waste it colonials.
