flair on small comparaduns

[David]

Looking for suggestions on comparaduns. I use this tie as my primary pattern for just about hatch. I struggle, however, when tying comparaduns in the small sizes 22-28 (primarily BWOs). Does anyone tie comparaduns this small? If so, how do you get the proper flair on the deer hair. The two solutions I currently use are
1. Tie the deer hair long, then trim the tips off to make it the proper length (but I don't really like the unnatural look - I prefer the real taper of the deer hair all the way to the tip.)
2. I tie the deer hair at the proper length but straight up as if I were tying a post for a parachute then cinch down to flair (or, if there still isn't enough flair, I'll put some loose thread loops through the post to spread it to the horizontal).

 

[JackM]

I don't tie them small, but I really improve the ties to my own liking after reading an instruction. I used to be disappointed that my hair would flair from 120 degrees to 60 degrees, rather than from 180 to 0. The instruction that changed things was to push the hair down along the hook shaft so that when you wrap the thread, it is pinching the hairs all around the shaft in a wide arc. Then after cinching real well, grab the tips and pull up and push back. It will take a little experimenting to get the idea, but I know my comparaduns improved in my eyes greatly after adding this detail to the tie in.

 

[afishinado]

I use z-lon or antron yarn for CD wings in size 20 or smaller.

 

[stonefly]

I will most of the time just use snowshoe rabbits feet when I tie comparaduns that small.

 

[sandfly]

I second the snowshoe................

 

[Sylvaneous]

Don't use deer hair for those sized flies. I use either CDC, and plenty of it, or I used Snowshoe hare. If you use premium CDC and treat it with Water Shed, it will do a great job.

Syl