Wings

[Chetty82]

Was wondering what materials you all used for wings on a sulfur or any other dry fly like the the quills, duns, and olives? Can't seem to figure out what is used.

 

[tomgamber]

I use mallard flank, cdc, calf hair, deer hair, hackle tips and synthetic materials. For quills its generally the mallard, dyed to match. Its cheap. For sulfurs I like cdc. For olives I use something called web wing. It comes in sheets and you cut it to shape. Google a recipe for a fly and substitute until you find something you can live with.

 

[gfen]

I tie comparaduns, which use fine, light deer hair (sometimes called coastal deer hair, the stuff I bought was bagged as "comparadun hair") splayed over the body.

I've also tied up a bunch of parachute flies, these used white poly yarn for the post and a cream neck hackle for the wing. I've used a yellow high lighter to make the posts hi-vis.

I also tried posts from antron and calf tail. The poly works better.

Finally, rusty spinners which use the same white poly yarn as the posts.

These were the instructions I used for the comparadun, its definatly easier than the way I was taught, although perhaps not as sturdy:
http://globalflyfisher.com/tiebetter/comparadone!/

Tying a parachute:
http://www.invictaflies.us/Articles/parachute%20dry%20flies.htm

Tying a rusty spinner:
http://www.gmtrout.com/flyofthemonth/78.html
This differs from what I was taught, but its close enough. I use either four microfibbets or two elk hair for the tail and either split them apart by wrapping between the hair and the fly, almost figure 8 style, or by leaving the tag end of the body's thread loose then pull it up and through the hair to split. I also didn't use the foam wing case, I just figure-8'd dubbing over top of it to build the body up.

Finally, I use an orange egg sack both some of the spinners and the parachute flies. I could've done it on the comparaduns, but I didn't.

 

[ezpickins]

I personally tie a lot of parachute patterns for BWOs and Sulphurs and I tend to use gray antron for most of these. It's cheap and easy to use.

But for mayflies with speckled wings (cahills/march browns)I use mallard flank. Natural or dyed.

There are many many good choices (that's an understatement)- but you could limit yourself to white and gray antron, mallard flank natural, and mallard flank dyed woodduck and match many different wings.

But - if you're like most other tyers you'll end up with boxes of wing materials.



:hammer:

 

[GreenWeenie]

Chetty82,

Please don’t take this the wrong way but you’ve got to start doing some basic research on your own. It’s okay to ask questions and seek guidance/clarification after you’ve done some basic research but a lot of your questions look like they are being asked without really doing any basic research on your own. Maybe it’s the way your asking the question and you have done some research but to me your questions look like you’re taking the easy way and just asking someone for the spoon-fed answer immediately. Call me an ****** if you want but read on why I say this.

In order to become a better fisherman you’ve got to be resourceful and be able to figure things out on the stream and develop solutions to problems. Observing a situation and figuring out a solution is what separates the trout fisherman who catches 15+ trout and the one who struggles to catch 1.

You won’t always develop the right solution but by thinking things through and coming up with a plan you developed you will gain experience, which will make you a better fisherman in the long run. It’s no different that learning math – you aren’t going to learn anything by asking the teacher for the answers you’ve got to go through the mechanics and try and figure it out yourself and if you make a mistake, learn from your mistake.

Translating this to fishing, when you’re on a stream it’s you against the trout and you can’t log onto this forum and ask someone, “There’s a light colored bug on the water and fish are rising for it what should I use?” or “I’m using a #14 sulfur but nothing will hit it, why?”

Trout fishing is all about observing what is happening on the stream TODAY and figuring out what you have to do TODAY in order to be successful. TOMORROW is a completely different day and whatever fly or technique worked TODAY may or may not work TOMORROW and the successful trout fisherman are the ones who are able to develop solutions for TOMORROW based on all their experience gained from many, many TODAYS. The less successful trout fisherman rely completely on what worked TODAY for many, many TOMORROWS and never understand why something worked TODAY and not TOMORROW.

Sorry if you think I’m an ****** but the more you observe and think things through before seeking the easy answer, the much better fisherman you will become in the long run.

 

[Chetty82]

ok so ur getting bent out of shape over asking about wing material. But I looked up info on that and couldnt find any info on materials for wings not the hackle but the 2 little wings in some dry flies that was all. Not much info on it on the internet either that or I am just plain idioitc when it comes to this stuff and I may have overlooked it. So no I dont think ur an ****** but next time dont jump to conclusions without asking the guy first.

 

[jayL]

GreenWeenie,

I think your comments are out of line. This forum is here to ask questions. If, for some reason, you've missed out on the fact that you need not read or reply, take this moment to realize it.

 

[tomgamber]

At first I thought the same thing. Perhaps (and only perhaps) what he meant to convey is that by always asking everything, you miss out on some of what this sport is about.

Hiking into the unknown looking for trout.

...exploring a creek by yourself to see what you learn.

...trying this feather because its what you have instead of running across the county to buy the specific one the recipe calls for.

...fishing a fly in an unconventional manner just to see if it will induce a strike.

and if he really just means, "stop asking so many questions" then yeah, he's being kind of rude.

 

[littlelehigh]

My momma always told me "If you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all."

Don't sweat it Chetty sometimes I can't find the what others feel is the easiest things either. But to off set that when I do run across a good link I post it for others to read. My way of giving back when I can find anything intelligent to say.

Keep asking when you can't find the info you are looking for or post what you found and ask for clarification.

 

[Chetty82]

Greenweenie,

You wrote this question some time ago yourself.

I have heard a lot about the Honey Bug but have yet to find a picture of a honey bug or definitive tying instructions. It seems like tying instructions vary from source-to-source and some directions make it seem that the honey bug is nothing more than a cream colored non-beadhead green weenie while other directions seem to indicate that it is something different.

Looking for some clarity on this one and any help is appreciated.


Looks like you need to do research on your own and quit asking questions. Look you asked a question kinda like asked and I am sure no one ever gave you crap about it either. This question and the question i asked is one in the same I am new at the fly-tying thing and would like more knowledge about it. I do research on it and if I cant figure out the answer or find what I am looking for I do exactly as you did. I look for guidance and a little help.

 

[JackM]

You just need to notice how quickly people respond to know that most of us actually enjoy sharing our knowledge and often our lack of knowledge. I understand the sentiments expressed, though I wouldn't have felt any need to express them.

 

[ezpickins]

Don't stop asking questions - I think everyone learns a lot from the answers.

I love answering questions - probably more than people like hearing what I have to say (oh well).

 

[Chetty82]

Dont worry I wont stop asking questions I have gotten alot of help from a lotta people here when I could not find the information at all. And usually its a material question. Cause not most places go in depth on the materials used and what they are used for unless someone knows of a site that I can follow most of my questions can be answered by that. I mean really the only question left is the wing material. And a few have already answered that and to the guys that have answered any question that I may of had thank you.

 

[GreenWeenie]

Chetty82,

My posting wasn’t meant to insult you or belittle you or anything like that. You obviously are very much into fly-fishing and because you have such an interest and have been asking a lot of questions recently, I would assume you want to become the best fisherman you can become. I believe the advice of observing, coming up with a game plan and then evaluating the results and figuring out a reasonable answer as to why something did or didn’t work will make you a better fisherman. You will get stuck along the way and that’s fine, ask questions but you will better understand the answers.

When I first started I used to fish with a gentlemen who would never really answer my question if he thought I was looking for the easy way out. He would let me struggle and once he realized I got as far as I could go, he may give me the answer or at least point me in the right direction for me to continue to figure it out on my own. If he gave me the answer, I then understood why and I honesty believe this strategy really works. Far too many people are looking for the secret fly pattern, the secret spot, the secret retrieve, etc., (no such things exist) when really trout fishing is all about observing, trying something, and then understanding why or why not that something worked at that particular time. That is my advice.

It’s kind of like in ‘Silence Of The Lambs’ and how Hannibal Lecter never really tells Clarice Starling the identity of Buffalo Bill but just keeps provides thought provoking tidbits and forces her to figure it out on her own. That’s trout fishing.

 

[GreenWeenie]

Chetty82,

Please read my posting again regarding the honeybug:

"I have heard a lot about the Honey Bug but have yet to find a picture of a honey bug or definitive tying instructions. It seems like tying instructions vary from source-to-source and some directions make it seem that the honey bug is nothing more than a cream colored non-beadhead green weenie while other directions seem to indicate that it is something different."

Gee, it reads to me like I did some research and found conflicting tying instructions yet no picture to verify which instruction was correct. Big difference from…

"Was wondering what materials you all used for wings on a sulfur or any other dry fly like the the quills, duns, and olives? Can't seem to figure out what is used."

Have a good day, best of luck in fly fishing and don’t worry, I won’t respond to any more of your questions.

 

[Chetty82]

Ok so next time I will go in absolute detail of what I found and what i didnt find.

 

[RLeeP]

I use turkey flats for olive and sulfur parachutes. Lighter dun for the latter and darker dun for the former. I'd also use them for Hendricksons and Quill Gordons if there were any reason to tie flies to imitate either of these species, which I am not convinvced there is....

Why turkey flats? Well, that's a good question. They make nice parachute wings, but I think the real reason is that I bought a bloody carload of the things back 25 years ago when cut and thorax duns were the big deal.

So, I still have a lot left.

Any of this stuff that is 25 years or so old in rationale or reasoning, I'm your guy...

What's antron and cdc anyway...? Sounds like a futuristic rock and roll act....

 

[ezpickins]

RLeeP wrote:
I use turkey flats for olive and sulfur parachutes. Lighter dun for the latter and darker dun for the former.

I'll second the turkey flats.

I recently "re-discovered" them. When I first started tying, a few years back, turkey flats seemed pretty popular for wings. But I got out of the habit of using them, as everyone was using more "modern" materials.

However, I just recently tied a bunch of flies with turkey flat wings - and I found myself thinking "These make great wings"

I guess these things come and go - like fashions.

 

[sandfly]

google works so good, i found all kinds of info on wings so why the huff

 

[dano]

I mostly use thin hackle tip wings from the neck, all saved up from hackling dries.
For parachutes, I use white calf body hair. The reason is because, with my eyes I can spot it better than anything else I've drifted on the water in fading light. But, synthetic yarns are easier to use in tying a parachute.