Tying with peacock herl
This is probably the material that I use most, for almost every sort of fly - from size 24 dries to size 7/0 striped bass streamers.
Peacock herl comes in various types of foms and packaging. Natural individual herls are sometimes cut from the feathers and packaged loose and can also be knotted into a string. Complete eye feathers and peacock sword feathers are often sold in packs of one or two. In addition you can get bleached and dyed feathers in several colours, feathers that are dyed but bleached plus natural colour variations, such as albino peacock, white peacock and lavender peacock.
My preference is always to buy the herl on the feather - often complete feathers can be bought from florists or street vendors. Check for long (36" to 48") straight stems and check the herls for damage. A good feather should have strong vibrant colours and a green sheen. Avoid feathers that look dusty and dry.
When using peacock herl, take a little time to select the right size herls. It is a common mistake to use thin poor quality herls on a big bushy fly but is equally wrong to use thick fibred herls on a small skinny nymph. A selection of quality and length will cover all of your needs.
When tying in the herl I always tie it in by the tip, but only after cutting off at least one inch. The tips are notoriously weak and invariably break if tied in by the extreme end.
If tying in more than two herls I reverse one herl and tie them in tip/butt/tip. This adds strength while still allowing for a tapered effect on the body. With just two herls I sometimes reverse one, but it depends on the shape I'm after.
Herl can be wound as it sits or twisted, plaited, wound around the ribbing material, wound around the tying silk, etc. My preference is to wind it without twisting and rib it to prevent damage. Invariably I use varnish on the shank to hold the herl in place and add durability to the fly.
If using herl as a topping on streamers or saltwater fly, aways use strong and good looking herls. Try and use any natural curl to enhance the shape of the hook. Tie in with a loop and pinch to avoid the herl splaying out. If the herl stands up away from the hook, run the back of you scissors blade along the underside of the herl gently and it will curl downwards. Gently is the word though or you'll end up with a semi circle.
Peacock sword is less used these days but has extra colour and flash. A good addition to streamers and saltwater flies and of course, the most important component of the famous Alexandra.