Larry L wrote:
"JR" wrote

.... Hard to find small SF feathers, but a hare's ear and
partridge in #18 can often work wonders....

So, stroke some of the fibers into reversed position, snip the entire 'tip"
off. leaving a "v" of fibers.

tie that "v" in facing forward, much as you might deer hair for a sparkle
dun, sizing "overhang" to hook

wind to rear, form body, pull those hackle fibers back and first a wrap or
two to hold them back then a wrap or two through the fibers to spread them
out, ( be aggressive, pull and push em where you want em ) and then a
finish wrap or two to form the final "angle back" look

the "fatness" or the individual fibers becomes the limitation to how small
you can go, not the fiber length ... you may not win "best fly in show" this
way, but it fishing well

Yes, that's the method Nemes and others recommend, and I
sometimes resort to it, but I dislike it.... for reasons that
aren't well explained.... one of those visceral distastes, I
guess....

Usually I just pick the smallest of feathers from various quail
skins (Blue Ribbon Flies often has a good selection, for those
who don't hunt) and make do.

- JR