12-01-2008, 01:21 PM
I'm glad that fly was successful for you, Thudpucker. But it's not the original Bi-visible.
The Bi-visible is an all-hackle fly, first tied, IIRC, by Harry Darbee. It's a popular Catskill Mountains pattern.
In the original, brown hackle is tied over the rear 2/3 of the body, and white hackle covers the front 1/3. There is no other body material, other than the thread base. Traditionally, 2-3 brown hackles were used, to assure a high-floating fly. Hackle was reverse tied, so that the flybody tapered upwards. Tails were brown hackle in the original, but many tied it with pheasant tail.
Tying your version should be easy enough. Tie thread on at the eye and wrap backwards to make a thread base. Tie in some mylar at the bend, and wrap the tag. Tie in a brown hackle, and make 3-4 turns. Tie on some peacock herl. Move thread forward. Wrap herl. Tie on a white hackle. Make 3-4 turns. Tie off thread.
Here's a trick for making herl more durable. Instead of wrapping it directly on the hook, first wrap it around the tying thread, making close, tight turns. Essentially, you're creating a herl chennile. Then wrap that on the hook. What happens is that every turn of the herl is bound down by thread, minimizing any damage by fish teeth.
Hope this helps.
Brook
http://the-outdoor-sports-advisor.com
[signature]
The Bi-visible is an all-hackle fly, first tied, IIRC, by Harry Darbee. It's a popular Catskill Mountains pattern.
In the original, brown hackle is tied over the rear 2/3 of the body, and white hackle covers the front 1/3. There is no other body material, other than the thread base. Traditionally, 2-3 brown hackles were used, to assure a high-floating fly. Hackle was reverse tied, so that the flybody tapered upwards. Tails were brown hackle in the original, but many tied it with pheasant tail.
Tying your version should be easy enough. Tie thread on at the eye and wrap backwards to make a thread base. Tie in some mylar at the bend, and wrap the tag. Tie in a brown hackle, and make 3-4 turns. Tie on some peacock herl. Move thread forward. Wrap herl. Tie on a white hackle. Make 3-4 turns. Tie off thread.
Here's a trick for making herl more durable. Instead of wrapping it directly on the hook, first wrap it around the tying thread, making close, tight turns. Essentially, you're creating a herl chennile. Then wrap that on the hook. What happens is that every turn of the herl is bound down by thread, minimizing any damage by fish teeth.
Hope this helps.
Brook
http://the-outdoor-sports-advisor.com
[signature]