Get your marabou "out there"

I just had a thought so I had to write it or I would forget about it.

When you tie in marabou or hackle, if you want to be able to control how wide it spreads why not use a bead. Once the marabou is tied in, slide a small bead on the hook shank to the point where it forces the marabou to flair out just as much as you want. This can make it flair just a little or could make it stand straight out.

I know I will have to tie some now but had to put out the teaser to see if anyone does it before I do. :D

If you don't want to waste beads to do it build up a good size bump of thread and it does the same thing. Fly tyers have been using that for years in helping to split tails on their flies

Fatman

Great idea Fish I use a bead when I tie My bucktails like a little jig fixture to flare it out if I'm wanting to make them look more like brims than shad since I wet tie My bucktail when you slide the bead back the hair stays flared haven't tried it on bou yet .

Well there is another advantage to a bead but I am not gonna tell all yet. Gotta leave something to see if anyone can figure it out.

I like the idea of using it for bucktail too. I hate trying to get it to be as wide and open as I want it to be.

I think that would work better on a different material because once wet the marabou will just be as streamlined as before, but with a bump is all I think. I have not looked at this in the water, but I do know what marabou looks like wet and don't think it will flair when going through the water. Now if just holding it still it would float around anyway and I have a hard time believing it (the bead) will make much difference with marabou.

I say this without really knowing from seeing, but I find that I catch as many as need be with out doing anything to the marabou different. I use marabou a lot in the spring trolling. It always comes out of the water looking like a skinny line, but in the water when changes are made to the retrieve it will have all the action anyone would ever need.

In the end try it and let us know if it helps anything at all moving in the water.

Skip

Well there you go ruining the surprise. The bump is the point. Adds some body to an otherwise flat fly while retrieving. While thread can perform the same function, thread can't be adjusted. With a small float stop behind the bead you can adjust where the bump will be. Depending on the location of the bead and the length of the marabou it could keep the tips flared even on a retrieve. Not to mention the crystal flash or other stiffer material tied in with the marabou that would stay flared with the bead on a retrieve.

I agree though that there are materials that are much better served by the bead. I didn't think about them. Bucktail with an adjustable bead would be a killer way to tweak and fine tune a hair jig for water condition and what the fish are looking for.

You know I could see where maybe if you had like 2 or 3 beads it may even be better as it would look like a bug of some sort.

Skip

Thats an idea there. A few beads in increasing or decreasing size. Could be a cool shape. Hopefully the fish would like it.