To apply a Herl head to this type of fly there should be no thread in front of the Herl. That and quality peacock is essential. Quality peacock is becoming a thing of the past. Years ago I found a dead peacock on the road in Maine hit by a car. Best I have ever seen.

Tom

Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Lt.Orange Pearsalls gossamer #6a.
Head. Peacock Herl.
Hackle. English wood cock under covert.
Body. Lt. Orange silk.

Nicely done!

Tom

The Stone Bloa from a Handbook of North Country Flies by Roger Fogg.

Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls Gosssmer yellow.
Wing. Snipe Primary slips split.
Body. Yellow silk.
Hackle. Snipe outer covert

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I am completely confused by this feather. The fly I have just tied uses an inner covert feather from an American Woodcock recently shot . Bye the way the underwing of the European wood cock and the American Woodcock seems completely different to me.

Oooh, I like the looks of that. When you say the wings are snipe rolled, what does that mean? A rolled wing is for me a difficult thing to explain in writing. In fact Skues called for the wing on this fly to be rolled and reversed which I did not do. To roll a wing a slip of feather is removed from...

This fly is No. 7 of Skues wet fly patterns to serve all practical purposes found in Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream. Hook. Allcock w205 size 16 sproat. Silk. Pearsalls gossamer black. Wing. Light snipe rolled. Body. Black silk. Thorax. Ostrich. Hackle. Cock starlings crest. P_20210202_135000.jpg

Well this thread has me thinking. What a wonderful gift; funny how the world works sometimes. I have enough whitetail antler kicking around, it's -10 below zero outside, the shop is heated... it's worth a try. Unfortunately, I think the bobbin is above my pay grade, but a few other bone handled imp...

Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 12.
Silk. Pearsalls gossamer yellow #5.
Abdomen. Yellow seal.
Thorax. Hares Ear mix.
Hackle. Woodcock outer covert well marked.

A few years ago I was in Arkansas fishing. I was in a crowded parking lot and putting on my waders with others doing the same. An older woman approached me and said that" God loves you and wanted you to have this" turned and walked away. A beautiful wooden box with a fly fishing picture on...