I'm Stuck. Fly Tying Help

[mic]

First, yes I know I'm stuborn... With that out of the way, here is what I need help with.

I'm trying to show a flatter thorax profile on a PTN. I'm starting by tying small pieces of .30 lead, one on each side, on a size 14 hook. I start a hookeye's length back and continue a couple of MM... covering the thorax area. It looks really nice right up until I try to tie off the herl. No matter how hard I try, it falls off the front of the lead area into where the head would go. Are there any tricks I can use to keep the herl from falling off thorax area into the head?

I know the technique of wraping and flattening the lead, but I'm stuborn

[fishinwrench]

You can do your thorax "in the round" then flatten with a pair of these... AFTER the thorax is wrapped.

Or you could do a woven thorax.

Or you could make up a chopped herl dubbing brush, then trim it flat....And squeeze if you REALLY want an exagerrated flat/wide profile.

Or you could scrap the hassle all together since in reality I don't believe you'll catch a single extra fish due to this tweak.

[ness]

I don't do lead anymore -- bead on fly or shot on tippet. I usually tie them pretty small.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Wrench is right, trout are primarily about silhouette and color, not details.

[mic]

Alright I give...