Knotted pheasant tail barbule legs

 

Knotting pheasant tail barbules (or fibres as barbules are also known) is a great way to make realistic legs for flies. The procedure is simple yet a bit finicky particularly if you have big clumsy finger like me.

Process

A
  1. Separate one or more pheasant tail barbules from the hackle.

B
  1. Trim the barbules off the hackle as close to the butt as possible so that you have the longest length possible to work with.
  2. Wet the barbules so that they become a little more flexible and stick together if your using more than one which I tend to do.
  3. I am right handed an form a simple loop between my thumb and for finger of my right hand

C
  1. I then use my left hand to manipulate the but end/s of the one or more barbules through the loop.
  2. Carefully then grab the butt ends that you have poked through the open loop between the thumb and fore finger of your left hand.

D
  1. Use your right hand to now manipulate the loop along the barbules to where you want the knee of the leg to be and gently close the loop.



Last Updated: April 22, 2011
Author:
Categories: Free fly tying