Forking Tails With Thread

Forking tails with thread

By Wayne Luallen

I have never been satisfied with the method of forking tails that required making a ball of thread or dubbing to split the tails on either side or fan them over the ball. In my opinion, the resulting appearance leaves much to be desired. My preference is slender bodies matching the shape of the natural insect. This photo shows the V-Wing Mayfly with badger guard hair tails, two tails forked using thread control (left) and three tails forked with thread loop (right).

Another slightly more preferable method is to loop thread underneath the tail fibers from the back, and then pull the loop forward fanning the fibers while adjusting the spread by the degree of forward pull. Once in position a final wrap or two in front of the tails locks the fan in place. This generally works on short tails with soft materials like pheasant tail barbs as well as slightly fanned hackle barbs, it leaves a slender body and does spread the tail fibers, but with less control as well as less separation. For longer tails of mayfly duns and spinners that require a wider and more stable split, I find it an inconsistent approach. 

This photo shows three golden pheasant side tail barbs separated by looping thread underneath the barbs.

Therefore, these are the two methods I prefer:

Forking two tails using thread control

Before proceeding it is absolutely necessary to have an understanding of thread twist. The basics are described in these videos (links):

• Basics of thread twist when winding
• Clockwise – counterclockwise

Provided you have a clear understanding of this you may choose to skip the more in-depth discussion in the following paragraphs and proceed to the paragraph Forking two tails using thread control.

Understanding the effects of thread twist

A brief discussion of thread twist and direction of twist is necessary before proceeding.  With thread attached to the hook shank and the bobbin holder hanging loosely below, look down on the bobbin holder as if looking at the face of a clock. Twelve o’clock is away with three o’clock to the right and nine o’clock to the left. Spinning the bobbin holder clockwise will create a clockwise twist in the thread. When the bobbin holder is gently lifted toward the hook a loop in the thread will form that leans to the right. The opposite will occur when the bobbin holder is spun counterclockwise; the resulting twist in the thread will lean a loop to the left. (Throughout the rest of the article it will be assumed that the fly tier is tying right-handed and winding in the conventional direction of over the hook shank and then back under toward the tier.)

How to make flat thread or various degrees of thread twist work for you

Many advantages can be explored with thread that is judiciously twisted clockwise, counterclockwise, as well as untwisted. The amount of twist determines the amount of tightness that the resulting loop will have. More twist creates a tighter loop.

Place a small amount of clockwise twist into the thread, lift the bobbin holder and a loop will naturally throw over the hook eye such that with the push of a finger, the loop goes back onto the hook forming a very quick and simple half hitch. But if a greater amount of clockwise twist was applied, the thread furls making the previously simple half hitch not possible.

Twisted thread, as with a twisted rope, is actually stronger (up to the point of breaking) than untwisted thread. Twisted thread is round and thinner in width than flat thread, but thicker in height as demonstrated below. Flat thread will reduce bulk and cover more area in fewer wraps.

Forking two tails using thread control

Please view this video before proceeding

As shown in the video, with some advance planning, consistent forked tails can be achieved on dry flies with basically two key wraps for two tail flies. The method may initially appear complex, but once the thread control principles are understood, it is, according to former students, surprisingly simple.

It is extremely important that the materials chosen for the tails, whether synthetic or natural hair, be very hard. For example, Microfibetts and badger guard hairs work well, but moose and elk body are too soft. It is much easier with this method to use single hairs or synthetic fibers for each tail. If multiple fibers are preferred, I would suggest gluing them together with Dave’s Flexament or thinned Goop before tying them in place.

Some important and more in-depth explanations and points to be noted on this method:

DRAWING #1: Wind a flat (untwisted) thread foundation. The foundation wraps must be placed two or three flat thread widths short of where the end of the body next to the tail will ultimately be. I find it advantageous using a Reverse Jam Hitch that applies the first wind nearer the bend followed by progressive wraps toward the eye. This avoids making a double layer of thread when using a standard Jam Hitch that would begin closer to the eye, proceed back toward the bend, then have to wrap back toward the eye creating a double layer of thread as well as wasted time. 

Tie on whatever materials are called for before the tail is added. The body will be tied after the tail is both tied in and split.

Measure the two tails to length, and trim to size. Cutting in advance allows precise placement which can contribute to better body taper. I encourage using flat thread as much as possible because it allows precise placement of winds which are not easily accomplished with twisted thread. Periodically counter spinning the bobbin holder will remove twists created by each wind around the hook along with clockwise twist that most manufacturers add to their thread as it is spooled.

Make the first flat thread wind precisely at the trimmed ends of the two tails and then follow with adjacent flat winds proceeding back over the originally laid thread foundation. With each wind be sure to keep the tails centered to the top of the hook. Once the end of the foundation is reached, continue wrapping over the tails three or four additional winds of thread which will proceed slightly into the bend of the hook. The tail material will now tip very slightly down as seen in Drawing #1. The initial foundation winds provide friction to reduce slippage of the tails, but these final three to four winds over that part of the hook that does not have any foundation winds, will later be called upon to slip and compress, which is critical in being able to fork the tails.

The reason for tying slightly down around the hook bend is so that during the process of forking the tails, when those last three to four winds begin to compress and slide forward, the tails will angle back level with the hook shank as seen in Drawing #2. This approach allows the tails to lay level with the fly body helping support the fly on the water as would be the case for an adult mayfly pattern. But if it is preferred that the tails kick up a bit, stop the last three to four winds while the tails are still level with the hook shank. The thread pressure applied when forking the tails will push the tails at a slight upward angle.

Next rotate the bobbin holder briefly in a counterclockwise direction so that when the thread is lifted under no tension, it will throw a loop toward the left that can easily be placed under the tails. With the bobbin holder now on the far side of the hook, pull the thread firmly in the direction of the hook eye at a slight upward angle. This will force the thread loop under the tails to slide on bare hook shank forward, tightly jamming against the previous three to four winds. As these winds compress, the tail will now lay level with the hook shank.

If more than three or four winds were used, the hook shank with no initial foundation winds, will allow the thread to slide further forward than initially planned. The tails will now be separated slightly away from one another because they simply have no where else to go being trapped above by thread and below by the hook shank. By lifting the bobbin holder slightly up as the thread is pulled in the direction of the hook eye, as can be seen in Drawing #1, the left tail will conveniently lift up a bit so that the two tails can easily be distinguished from one another in preparation for the next step.

DRAWING #2 At this point the thread will still be twisted slightly counterclockwise. Bring the thread under the hook toward you and place another loop of thread this time between the slightly separated tails. With the thread now tight between the tails, put tension on the thread toward you so that the right tail will begin to push out. Once the desired fork for the right tail is achieved, push the left tail with the thread away from you. If the fork is not wide enough, back the thread up a bit, pull the right tail out a bit more and then push the left tail out yet a bit further. Apply one or two additional very firm flat thread warps around the hook shank immediately in front of the now forked tails. This will lock the tails in place. Without these firm wraps the tails will gradually pull back together.

The degree the tails fork is controlled by the amount of pressure applied by the wind between the tails and the hardness of the tail material

Now complete the rest of the fly.

In handling the fly throughout the rest of the tying process or when tying onto a leader, the tails may be bent out of position. If using a natural material, unless the wall structure is broken, the tails will reposition themselves once in the water just as natural materials will straighten when steamed. If using Microfibetts or other synthetic brush fibers, bend them back into place. They have been creased by the thread so that bending should be just as they were when originally tied.

Note the placement of the 1^st wrap beneath both bull elk neck hair tails followed by the 2^nd wrap between the tails that pulls the near tail out and pushes the far tail away. The thread is 6/0 Flymaster. (V. Lehmberg micro-photo)

The finished fly. Note the rib created with a clockwise twist that evenly progresses toward the eye with each successive wrap. (V. Lehmberg photo)

Forking three tails

A second method of forking tails is one I prefer for three tails. It is effective for both stiff tails on dry flies and softer tails (e.g. pheasant tail barbs) on nymphs. The illustration below only shows two tails. Though this method will work with two tails it is not my preferred approach because it provides less control than the method previously described. Without a middle tail there is a loss of individual pressure on the outer tails resulting in one tail frequently forking outward more than the other.

When initially applying thread to the hook, make sure to save the waste piece of thread trimmed after the Jam Hitch is secured. This piece should be about ten centimeters (4″) long. Proceed with the fly as usual. When tying on the tails, wind the thread over them from the direction of the hook eye toward the hook bend. (Note: All thread wraps that will lie under the tailing material must be made with untwisted thread that is wound flat creating a smooth foundation for the tails. A rough surface of twisted and/or randomly placed thread may not allow the tails to separate evenly.) Once the tail material is anchored in the correct position, wind back toward the hook eye a few (2-4) wraps. Loop the piece of waste thread around the inside of the hook bend (see drawing A.) Separate the far and near tails away from the center tail (or each other when tying only two tails) just enough to make an opening that will accept the two strands of thread. (Marvin Nolte suggests pressing a fingernail nail against the tails to easily separate them allowing easier placement of the loop of thread. The pressure of the nail against the hook causes the fibers to separate.) For three tails the near strand of thread will be between the center and near tail and the other strand between the center and far tail. Lift the thread strands up between the tails and lay them on top of the hook shank toward the hook eye. Secure the strands in place with two snug (not tight) wraps of thread (see drawing B.) Now pull each of the thread ends toward the hook eye. As pressure from the thread loop pulls up between them the far and near tails will begin to split outward while the middle tail is unaffected. The degree of split can be adjusted by the amount of pull on the thread ends. Once the proper amount of split is achieved, secure the waste ends with firm wraps of thread winding toward the hook eye before trimming off the waste.

Materials of choice for using this approach for tails on dry flies include any hard material such as Microfibetts, spade hackle barbs, animal guard hairs, etc. Materials such as duck body feathers, hen hackle barbs, pheasant tail barbs, etc. would be a poor choice for tailing on dry flies if support on the water is required, but these would be excellent materials for nymphs. Some softer materials can be bolstered in strength by tying in more than one strand for each tail member, then coating each with Dave’s Flexament or thinned Goop.

View from below (left) and above (right) of a V-Wing Rusty Spinner with

thread loop forked three tails