Segments – body segments on flies

 

AKA: Body segments on flies

Most of the things we seek to imitate with flies have bodies that have some sort of segmentation. A number of techniques have been developed to imitate those body segments and often also to reinforce the fly. Listed below are just a few of those techniques and simple instructions on how to carry them out.

Process

A

Segments - copper wire

A technique for creating body segments on most classes of fly, It involves tying in the ribbing material at the bend of the hook building the body and then winding the ribbing material along the body creating a number of segments.

  1. Chatto's nymph

B

Segments - Palmered hackle

There are quite a few flies that give the impression that the body segments are created by palmering a hackle along a body creating a number of segments. Whilst you can use the hackle by itself for that purpose hackle often break easily. To give the impression that the hackle is the only segmenting material on the fly tie a thread in at the bend of the hook that is the same colour as the body will be. Then build the body. The hackle is tied in in front of the body and then palmered along the body to create the segments. When the hackle reaches the bend of the hook the thread is picked up and wound back up the body locking in and reinforcing the hackle segments.

  1. Elk hair caddis

C

Segments - ribbing with wire or tinsel

This is the obvious form of the technique above. However in stead of innocuous thread that matches the body, wire, tinsel or other ribbing materials are used that  are obvious in the finished fly.

  1. Woolly bugger

D

Segments - stripped peacock herl

Only used in a couple of flies that I am aware of but a very nice form of ribbing.  Peacock herl is striped of its flu and used as ribbing in much the same way as a hackle would be.

  1. Quill Gordon

E

Segments - flat tinsel or mylar

Perhaps the most obvious form of ribbing flat tinsel is often used when  dramatic contrasts on the fly are required.

  1. BMS

F

Segments - fly tying thread or floss

The use of contrasting thread or floss is a simple and successful way of ribbing  particularly smaller flies.

  1. Hanging midge



Last Updated: January 4, 2011
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Categories: Free fly tying
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