Biots are a seemingly insignificant fly tying material, but they have been a major component of many fishcatching patterns for years. We use biots to create bodies, tails, wings, and antennae on a wide range of trout flies.
There are two common sources of biots: goose and turkey primary wing feathers. A biot is a short, stiff fiber found on the leading edge of the feather. For ease of packaging and use on the tying bench, the wing feather is split down the middle of the stem; the leading edge of the feather will contain dozens of individual biot fibers. Several of these strips are packaged together, so one pack contains ample material to tie perhaps a couple hundred flies; they are one the best bargains in fly tying. Biots come in natural gray and white, as well as a rainbow of dyed colors.
Favorite Biots for Bodies
I prefer using goose biots because they make better segmented bodies. Sometimes, however, a goose biot is not long enough to wrap the entire body. You may substitute a turkey biot or perhaps a dyed biot from the quill of some other large bird.
Turkey biots…
