Jimi Try using a synthetic fibre. For example the bristle from a paint brush has a lot of great potential. Regards Mel
Desert Eagle wrote: > Evening folks, > Seams kind of quiet and thought I would toss out a problem I am having > and see if anyone can give me a fix for it. > I am working on my "Black Gnats" and have a problem. The recipe calls of > "Black Hackle Barbules" for the tail. Now I assume they are referring to > just pulling some of the side off a black hackle and using it. What I have > tried, ( "Not" getting into the few actual dry fly hackles I have), is not > at all satisfactory. Even on a #14 dry fly hook the finished product > collapses the tail and just "Mush's" it out. It will not stand straight. I > do have "some" pheasant hackle that is soft but at least it is a "Bit" > stiffer than this other stuff. Problem is, it isn't black and still not as > stiff as I would like. > I have gotten up to 12 segments, ( 16 on one), rope dubbing the body on > a # 14, dry fly hook and the hackle actually looks very good. "But" the tail > ruins the whole appearance. > Dose anyone have a suggestion as to how to maybe stiffen up the hackle, > or something else I can do to make these look as good as the rest of the > fly, or something else I can use ? I thought of Biot but don't have any > black in that either. I want these to be the best I have done yet, ( Except > for my "Prize" winning flies for the Rope Dub Swap). > Any suggestions or help would be appreciated. > Working smaller and smaller, > Jimi
