Goose Biots

FlyGuyFromPa

FlyGuyFromPa

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Dec 22, 2012
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Does anyone know of a good source for biots? I've been trying to learn how to tie a prince nymph, but so far the materials I have tried to substitute don't look all that impressive and I end up stripping the fly, and in essence wasting material.
 
I get mine from hairline and have not to many complaints. When you buy them from a fly shop, open them up and make sure the quality is good. Take them out of the package and have them "stand on end" this will let you see that they are not too thick or there are not too many that are too thick. Or too thin for that matter. They can be tricky to work with. And I find myself messing up a few tails now and again.

I see a lot of guys just grab a pack and go. this can be a big mistake. Especially with pheasant tail.

 
Prince's are my go to fly if I am dredging the bottom. I have never had any problems with bIots being to thin or thick, but it is not a bad idea to at least take a look at them before buying. I used to have the biggest problems tying in the wings because of my fat sausage links. I have learned to use a pliers or tweezers to hold both wings and tie them in at the same time.

Here is a variant I have been tying up lately. These are size 12's and I wanted to tie something that was big enough that resembled Iso, stonefly, and other larger nymphs. Basically my anchor for high sticking.
 

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nice fly becker. Glad to see i am not the only one who likes to add longer tails on some nymphs. I have been playing around with different colored wire for wrapping the peacock hearl. I saw your post the other day on the blue wrapped PT.

Notice any better action with blue than other colors?
 
Thanks guys. I'll have to look into the hairline brand and a few other sources too. Any ideas on what all colors I'll need? I was thinking white and olive for sure.
 
White and brown are what I use the most. Then if you go into turkey biot bodies you get every color that is made to imitate mayflies.
 
The prince has never been very productive for me. I have no idea why. I read George Daniels nymph book and decided I needed to add some more to my box.

This past weekend I tied up a some smaller ones. (Maybe if the big ones weren't working, the smaller ones might change my luck.) Who knows? I don't have any answers only questions.

The one thing I noticed about his were that they were heavy and the white Biots were tight together.

Nothing but questions on this side, but they obviously work for most people.
 

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by SBecker on 2013/1/21 20:47:43

White and brown are what I use the most. Then if you go into turkey biot bodies you get every color that is made to imitate mayflies.

I'm new to tying so this might sound like a silly question, but are the barbs longer on the turkey biots? I've been trying to tie some biot bodies with the goose and I find that I only ever get a couple wraps.
 
Longer and skinnier usually.
 
To answer your question FLYGUY , i'm not sure where archbald is but the local fly shop there should be able to fix you up as a source for biots. If i was you i wouldn't go to a catalog because you don't get to see what you are buying , it sounds like you have some specific things you are looking for , specific features , any half decent fly shop should be able to fix you up. GOOD LUCK!!!!
 
I went to A&A Outfitters this morning and they were able to look out for me. They even tied a few princes while I watched so I knew what I was doing, and gave me the ones they tied. They gave me 3, so I'm going to tie about 9 more. I like to have at least a dozen or so of every fly I tie in my box at all times.
 
Glad you got some. Do not be afraid to experiment a little with them.
 
The best biots I ever got were from Melinda's in NY. No idea where she got them but they are long and thick. Plus there's a lot in a pack.
 
Craft stores usually have a section with feathers and sometimes that includes very generous packs of goose biots for not much money. Color selection is usually either black or white, however.

I prefer turkey biots they do not seem as brittle and being more narrow the body wraps better if you use them for that. As a wing the goose may be the better way to go but I don't tie many Princes.
 
The Prince Nymph is also one of my go-to patterns, especially for Brook Trout. I have a surplus of these Sz. 14 Scud hooks with an offset hook point. They really hook up great on my dropper rigs. Since the Prince Nymph has never let me down and these scud hooks "hook up" so well, I decided to tie up some Prince Nymph Scud hybrids.

I modified the Prince slightly with the addition of ultra fine neon green wire and a few wraps of brown Ostrich herl for general bugginess. The fly looks buggier with the herl added while keeping the slim profile of the traditional Prince Nymph. I'm looking forward to trying this one out.
 

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FlyGuy.........if you'd rather not say that ok , but , wherre is Archbald? I fished all over this state in the fifty years i been doin it and never heard of it???
 
Near Scranton, Osprey.
 
Sorry, Archbald is near Scranton. You have Scranton, Dickson City, Olyphant, Blakely, Jessup, then Archbald.
 
I didn't mean to ignore you, I missed your intended question when you mentioned about not knowing where I was. My apologies.
 
He hates you now.
 
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