Working with marabou

[scotfly]

There are basically two ways to tie in marabou for wings and tails. Below I will show you both ways. I have shown them for tails, but the process is exactly the same for tying in wings.
I'll leave it to you to decide which one you use.


Instructions assume right handed tyers.

Method 1
 

Select the required amount of marabou. This will vary depending on size, type of fly etc.



You can either cut it off, or as I prefer, pull/ tear it off. I prefer this method simply because it leaves a clean stem.



If you pull it off you will be left with a few curly bits, cut these off to leave it looking like this.



Moisten your finger and thumb and roll the butts of the marabou between them, making a shuttlecock shape.





Tie this on top of the shank as shown.



When you wrap to the eye you will be left with a body like this.





Method 2
           

Prepare the marabou as shown in the first two pictures in method 1. Then hold the marabou in one hand with the butts exposed and use the finger and thumb nail of your other hand to "scrape" the flue from the butts.



You should be left with clean butts in one hand and the flue in the other hand.



Tie in on top of the shank as shown.



When you wrap to the eye you will be left with a body like this.



I think it is obvious which one I prefer. I will leave you to decide which one you prefer.
The bottom one here is method 1, the top one is method 2.




To make your tail (or wing) the required length you should tear the fibres, which will leave a more natural look to the tail/wing. Cutting them will leave an unnatural straight edge.

To tear them. Grip the fibres very tightly in your right hand, where you hold them here will determine the length of the wing/tail.
Then simply tear the waste tips off with your left hand as shown.



To leave the tail/ wing the required length.



Waste not want not.

The fibres I scraped off in method 2 can be used.
Simply dub onto the thread.



And wrap for a perfectly matched body.

[Malcolm]

Thanks, I'll have a try at stripping the marabou I hadn't thought of that. It may well help. The real problem is that the wing uses so much marabou that it is difficult to fit it all in to the small space available.

[garryh]

another way of forming a body is to tie in half a dozen strands by the tip and twist into a rope then wind up the body.its surprisingly strong and it gives a lot of movement from the flue of the marabou.

Garry

[Robbie]

Never thought of scrapping the flue, seem a very neat solution. Thanks for sharing.