GP Tippets

[Cicada]

Grrrr. Just spent a frustrating evening tying a few sea trout flies including a Peter Ross or two (yes they work for me!).

Can anyone offer good advice on how to keep golden pheasant tippets aligned when tying in? I wish I could get the black ends to have a neat orderly look when the tail is finished.

I don't think that the sea trout will really care too much but rumour has it that the black tips give the impression of a shrimp's eyes.

[Braveheart]

The secret Cicada is to keep them lined up while still on the feather, grip them tightly and tear or cut them of, and don't let go untill you have them on the hook.

[Cicada]

Cheers Braveheart, that's the method I was trying to employ. They were just lively little b*ggers tonight and kept wandering off if I so much as breathed!

I think the message is if you want good looking flies to tie them early in the day, but then it's always the last fly tied in the day that catches tomorrow's fish.

[doonicus]

Wet the tippets with saliva before you choose how many you want, and then cut them off. This tends to hold them together. Apply the tippets near to, but not quite on the top of the hook, as the first turn of thread will roll them on to the top, then tie them down with a couple of turns.

doonicus

[Cicada]

Thanks doonicus - one to try on a garlic free night! I'll give it a go next time the GP tippets are out.