Ostritch Herl

[Scythe]

If you wrap nymph abdomens with larva lace or similar, do it in turns that don't quite touch it other. Then wrap the ostrich herl in-between the larva lace wraps. This protects the delicate herl & makes for quite a cool 'gill-type' effect.

If you smear ostrich herl (lightly) with flexament it gives remarkably realistic legs. Bit fragile though.

I've used it for woolly bugger tails - not a patch on marabou in my view.

Interresting comment on the Flexament, didn't think of that.

You can wrap it for buggy thoraces.
Glass bead shrimp pattern using PH is also effective.

The only real drawback to Ostrich Herl is that:

1) It's very fragile, especially in thinner diameters
2) Though it's very fluffy and lovely when dry, once it's been wet it loses some of that great look & action.

[Korrie]

Mini buggers are very good with ostrich herl. #12 to 18.
You can buy them at some embroidery shops in about 10 different colors.

I also tie a Vaal shrimp with it.

1 scud hook #10 to 14.
tail, grizzly barbs.
ribbing material, normally a embroidery thread with some silver flash. Not the threads with pieces of flash sticking out at right angles. A nice smoothish thread.
tie in one long white ostrich herl at bend of hook
white dubbing with a bit of sparkle for the body
Palmer the ostrich herl the length of the body over the dubbed body.
These becomes the legs. Tie of at the head.
Tie in back, Clear plastic or czech nymph back material, fold backwards, make sure the herl is folded down, tie off back material, at tail with ribbing material.
Bring ribbing forward and tie of at the hook of the eye.
I sometimes weight the fly lightly.

Very effective in shallow riffles for yellows, or along the hyacints lining the edges. Held still in a current the fly has lots of action with the scud hook and the tail being around the bend of the hook.
Takes are normally very agressive, as these critters are very good swimmers.


Korrie