Wrapped Fur-strip Body - The Fly Tier's Benchside Reference - page 142
Wrapped Fur-strip Body
Cross-cut rabbit strips are used with this technique (as shown in the main sequence below) to produce streamer patterns such as the Bunny Leech. Using longitudinally cut strips (presented in the alternate photos) will produce a sparser body with a broader silhouette underwater. The bulk of the material and the length of the fur generally restrict this method to larger hooks.
Step 1. Lay a foundation of tying thread, beginning behind the eye and ending at the rear of the shank. Any tailing materials are tied in at this point, and the thread is positioned at the rearmost tailing wrap. Select or cut a strip of cross-cut fur (weʼre using rabbit here). The strip must be tied in so that the natural slant of the fur points toward the hook bend. Position the fur strip above the hook shank so that the fur tips point downward; the end of the strip near the hook eye is the mounting end. Binding in the strip by wrapping over the fur will produce a bulky tie-in and a potentially insecure one, as the hair is slippery. With scissors, clip the hair close to the skin at the mounting end of the strip, leaving a 1⁄8” tag of sheared hide. Trim this tag to form a point as shown.
Step 1a. To determine the mounting end for a longitudinally cut strip, place the strip skin-side down on the tying bench with the hair tips pointing directly away from you. The end of the strip closest to you is the end to be mounted on the hook. Clip the fur and trim a point on the strip as described in Step 1.
Step 2. Position the strip atop the hook shank, directly above the rearmost thread wrap. The point you trimmed on the mounting end should point directly at the hook eye. Take 3 or 4 tight turns of thread over the widest part of the point. Then advance the thread toward the hook eye in close, very tight wraps, binding down the tag of sheared hide as you go. Position the thread at the body tie-off point.
Step 3. Begin wrapping the strip forward in firm, snug turns. There are two points to bear in mind here. First, as you wrap, use the fingers of the left hand, as shown, to preen the hairs back toward the hook bend to prevent them from becoming trapped under the hide strip. Youʼll need to reposition your fingers every half-turn or so, as new wraps of material are laid down. Second, the wraps should slightly overlap; on each new wrap, the edge of the hide should just touch the base of the fur on the previous wrap. This overlap not only gives a denser body, but helps maintain the slant of the hair toward the hook bend, preserving the slimmer profile. Continue wrapping until the tie-off point is reached.
Step 3a. If longitudinally cut fur is wrapped in overlapping turns, it will yield a body fairly similar to that produced by cross-cut fur. To produce a body with a broader sil-houette, wrap the longitudinally cut fur strip in close, adjacent, non-overlapping turns, as shown here. Again, use your left hand to preen the hair back and prevent it from becoming trapped underneath the wrapped hide.
Step 4. When the tie-off point is reached, hold the fur strip across the top of the hook shank as shown. Use a dubbing needle to part the fur that lies directly above the tying thread. You are trying to create a small gap in the fur so that the first tie-off wraps lie directly against the hide rather than on the hair. It may help to dampen the fur slightly to maintain the gap that is exposed.
Step 5. Take 3 or 4 tight turns of thread in the gap, directly against the hide. Clip the end of the fur strip, leaving a tag of about 1⁄8”. If there is any fur on the tag, clip it close to the skin.
Step 6. Bind down the tag of hide, and the body is complete. The top fly has been dressed with a cross-cut strip; notice that the hair slants rearward, creating a body with a slimmer profile. The lower fly has been wrapped with a longitudinally cut strip; the hair stands out almost perpendicular to the shank, giving the impression of greater bulk.
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