An interesting chenille

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

I made this chenille body for a leech with 4 strands of peacock twisted with 2 strands of red crystal flash and 2 strands of root beer crystal flash. Wishing I had blue instead of the root beer. Flashabou won’t work.

 

[Cabezon]

Looks great. Use green marabou and you would have a Christmas tree leech (and a combo that would probably work).
Steve

 

[Chucker]

Looks great. When I do that I add a couple of strands of wire, which helps with durability.

 

[RCF]

Peacock comes in so many variations of colors. I like the root bear color and how it accents the peacock. Peacock is one of my favorite materials ---> so buggy looking... Nice tie!

 

[Bob N]

Alec Jackson was the first person I saw twisting wire and tinsel into peacock herl and ostrich.

 

[RCF]

Looks great. When I do that I add a couple of strands of wire, which helps with durability.

One can use thin wire as a part of the process when making peacock 'chenille' also....

 

[Merle]

Alec Jackson was the first person I saw twisting wire and tinsel into peacock herl and ostrich.

Yes, same here! I attended a tying demonstration at a local fly shop in the mid 90's and the way he twisted ostrich herl and fine wire into a natural "chenille" changed my fly tying. I use that technique all the time now for different materials.

-andy

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

Looks great. When I do that I add a couple of strands of wire, which helps with durability.

I gave up on wire because it cuts the peacock herl sometimes. I’m experimenting with the crystal flash for reinforcement. If it doesn’t work I’ll add a strand of 6/0 thread.

 

[Cowlitz Bottomfeeder]

Alec Jackson was the first person I saw twisting wire and tinsel into peacock herl and ostrich.

Me too. He did some amazing things with the twisted silver wire and silk floss as tags on steelhead flies. The attached photo is from a shadow box with an original Alec Jackson fly. Some of the folks on the forum who like fancy Steelhead flies can probably apply this technique.

 

[Stonedfish]

That looks great.
You can get a similar effect or mottled look by braiding three strands of different colored chenille. Works great for bodies and worm tails for bass patterns.
SF

 

[Tom Butler]

I gave up on wire because it cuts the peacock herl sometimes. I’m experimenting with the crystal flash for reinforcement. If it doesn’t work I’ll add a strand of 6/0 thread.

I sometimes use 5x tippet counterwrap, and have twisted it in the herl rope as well.

 

[Coach Potter]

I made this chenille body for a leech with 4 strands of peacock twisted with 2 strands of red crystal flash and 2 strands of root beer crystal flash. Wishing I had blue instead of the root beer. Flashabou won’t work.

View attachment 61032

That looks awesome!

 

[FinLuver]

I gave up on wire because it cuts the peacock herl sometimes. I’m experimenting with the crystal flash for reinforcement. If it doesn’t work I’ll add a strand of 6/0 thread.

I tie in my herl; pull the bobbin straight down; pin the herl/thread with hackle pliers; and spin the two together…then wrap.

I like the idea of adding krystal flash.