POSITIONING AND SIZING THE WING. Let the thread hang at the approximate wing position. Set LARGE end of the divider to the length of the shank. (FIG 1) Set one point of the SMALL end below the hook just back of the eye. (FIG 2) Position the thread so that it splits the "V". Reset the divider to the gape width and mark 2 gape widthe on paper, reset the divider to 2 gape widths and measure the wing length forward of the wing tie-point. When tying in the wing, do not bring the thread forward of the tie-point until you are ready to raise the wing. v v
MEASURING THE TAIL LENGTH. Set the SMALL end of the divider at with one point at the end of the shank and the other point at the wing position, (FIG 4) Use the LARGE end to measure the tail from the end of the shank as shown in FIG. 5.
MEASURING THE ABDOMEN. Set the large end of the divider to the shank length. (FIG. 6) Wind the body material to the length as indicated by the SMALL end. (FIG.7) This will leave the proper space for the hackle between the abdomen and the wing.
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MEASURING HACKLE FIBER LENGTH. Set the SMALL end of the divider to the gape of the hook. (FIG. 8) Place the points of the LARGE end on the bench or table so it bridges the feather to be measured. Bend the feather around one of the points so that the hackle fibers flare around the point as shown in FIG. 9. If the tips of the fibers just touch the other point, the hackle is the correct size for the hook. You can also measure the fiber length by bending the feather and checking the length from stem to tip.
MEASURING THE SPACE TO BE HACKLED. The length of the hackled area conforms to the length of the thorax of the natural. Set the LARGE end to the distance between the front of the abdomen and the front of the shank just behind the eye. (FIG. 10) The small end will indicate the space to be wound with the hackle. (FIG. 11) The space left over will be correct for finishing off the head. and is equal to the SMALL end when the LARGE end is set to the hackled area. Use the same methods shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 10 and 11 to proportion the body of a nymph. Nymph tails should be about the length of the abdomen.