Help with Blue Jay please

[garyj]

I've been attempting a "Watsons Bumble" tonight and failing miserably to get the blue jay to wrap around the hackle at the eye, it's just bunching up or going to one side.
I've tried a loose turn then tightening the thread from the underside but it still looks terrible.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks, Gary

[Gander]

Try splitting the rachis with a sharp blade. This minimises its ability to twist when being wound on.

Alternatively, the way I have done Bumbles in the past is by tying in a bunch of fibres around the hook shaft (blue side facing in) just at the point where you will want the back of the head. The fibres project out over the eye of the hook. Tie the rest of the fly as normal, finishing up at the point where you tied in the Jay fibres. Now stroke the fibres back and up from the eye. Tie in a head right in front of the positioned fibres and there you have your hackle. You will be surprised how well tying in the head right in front of the fibres keeps them in position. It is neat and gives little bulk.

[garyj]

Thanks for that Gander, I'll have another go in the morning and give that method a shot

[brownsville]

As above,

and below.....

Tying the Olive Sedgehog Bumble by Davie McPhail - YouTube

Tying the Olive Sedgehog Bumble by Davie McPhail - YouTube

[garyj]

I was sent a similar "Davie" bumble video by Andrew (Savage Take), he makes it look so easy

Many thanks again guys, hopefully there'll be a few bumbles on the forum tomorrow

Gary

[easker1]

you can split the blues fron the tip just by hand , you can scrape some of the core off with sharp scissors, its not too bad on larger flies, I tied up some
claret bumbles this morning, easker1