Importance of wings on dry flies?

[tabasco_joe]

I am just getting into tying my own dry flies and the wings are the greatest challange. I was reading a book George Harvey narrated where he says the wings don't matter. Wondered if that really is true?

 

[sandfly]

I disagree, The first thing a trout see's in his window is the tips of the wings, then the whole wing, body and tail last...lay in the water sometime and watch from below, the tips are first to be seen...

 

[tomgamber]

I think if you heavily hackled a fly you might be able to get away with it. Try using different materials. Try just tying the tail and the wings on a bunch of hooks and then as you get better at it, finish the fly. Since wings can be difficult I usually tie them in right after tying in the tail. The If I don;t like them, its easy to restart tying the wings again...then you can go ahead and dub and hackle and finish.

 

[Stevie-B]

I don't think the wings matter on anything smaller than a size 18. Anything I tie that small I leave the wings off. Besides, even if the trout could make out the tiny edge of the wing against a tangle background of trees, etc., the trout would have to be keying in on that particular trait which is IMO at the bottom of the list.

Steve

 

[bigjohn58]

On dries up to a size 18 I tie in burnt hen hackle wings on most of my dries and a few I use various died mallard flank. For #20 and smaller I usually use mallard wing feathers on my BWOs and Blue Quills. I find using burnt hen hackle to be fairly easy to tie in and makes a really nice looking wing. Find a burner set for around $10 at a good fly shop.

 

[shipnfish2006]

I don't think the wings are as important as they're made out to be. My favorite sulphur pattern on the SCPA limestoners is wingless and I do just fine on it. Up until about 2 years ago I never even tied wings on any of my dries and I caught just as many then as I do now on my winged flies. I think the hackle being there is enough for the trout. I think the trout are more worried about shape and size.

 

[MKern]

I think it relates to the water yuo are fishing.
Riffles: probably not, you are going to get more instint/reaction strikes, and an extra turn of hackle would probably benefit you more than wings.
Slow water or slower water: I'd fish less hackle and wings (less hatck because mayflies only have six legs not 56 that stick out in all directions)
Brookie water: not needed.
Biggest factor: your preferance - you decide what you like, not a book, or other people for that matter.
(Personally I tie with wings, I like the asthetics and I think the flies look more classy)
However, wings are tricky to a new tier, especially length/proportion.

 

[tomgamber]

I think it has to do with whether I wore my red skivies or my white ones...Whether I strung up before or after walking to the water...I tie little stuff without because its easier. I always put wings on my bigger stuff because they look better. Well, to me they look better. To the fish...? I have no idea...I'll throw a chewed up pattern because I saw something similar in the air and get fish. I'll throw a brand new one another time because I saw the same bug and get refused. I'd rather be lucky than good any day.

 

[Padraic]

You can leave off the wings to start. It is a lot easier to tye without them. However, properly portioned wings hvae some benefits. In slack water, the trout might be keying in on them. They can keep the tippet from twisting (IF they are properly proportioned!). And they can ensure the fly lands right side up... again if they are properly proportioned. If you can get the proportions right, though, leave 'em off. IMHO a well tied fly w/o wings is a B+. A well tied fly with wings is just busting the curve for the rest of us. And being a flyfishing nerd is just redundant.

 

[flybop]

If you tie and fish campara duns then you will not have to worry about the wings. You do not need hackles, they are basically easier to tie and imho most of the time are just as or more effective than traditional hackled flies.

 

[plumbob]

Joe I took a tying class with George a few years back, he put wings on all the dry's. Any dry you see that he tyed has wings. I'm sure in certain situations the wings may not matter, fast moving pocket water and such, where they don't have a lot of time to check things out. But when I'm tying my own flies thats just something I want to do, it just dosen't look complete without them. It may be the wrong way to do it but when tying I have to satisfy my own taste before what the fish may like. I'll say this when the fish are hitting drys the wings never botered them. Not trying to pic on you with this next comment, but this has come up a lot and its always by someone who has diffculty tying the wings. They really aren't hard to do, have to hook up somewhere to show you how. Don't let that Lou guy tell ya you don't need wings all he ties are nymphs.LOL

 

[sandfly]

Wings should be tird in first, then the tail, body and hackle..when doing the wings first you can adjust them easier to fit...I also use a gauge for the wing sizes, so does plumbob and he wins alot of compitions...its a tool for porportioning your fies..

 

[MKern]

Sandfly,
I tie my tails in first, then wings, hackle, and finally dub the body.

Keep in mind I don't tie for speed though, and 90% of the time tie nymphs.

 

[sandfly]

Matt, where did you learn to tie.just curious...in 90% of books they will say to tie in the wing first that way you get a nice tapered shank for the body..plus you can play with wing till its right..I dont for speed either, quality for here..getting the wing porportions right is the main thing of fly balance..this is how flick, wulff and darbees taught me..

not that you are wrong or anything just how I learned..and teach

 

[MKern]

Bob,
I actually taught myself, with a pamphlet for a reference, not a good one at that.
I always start my dries by wrapping thread to the bend, tie in tails, and as I wrap teh butts of the tail fibers, I'm now near where the wings need to go. Then I tie in the wing and attach the hackle at the base of the wing. Wrap to the backand dubb the whole body in one step. Wrap hackle and finish.
It's just the way I taught myself, and I kinda works for me. Altough, I do think a book I have now, Trout Flies - David Hughes, teaches the tail first method. I'll have to check.
BTW, not saying your wrong, cause your probably traditional, I was just stating what I do.
Just goes to show there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[dryflyguy]

I also think that wings are quite important on dry flies, and never tie any without them. You can probably get away without them in riffles, but in flat clear water, I don't think so.
I've always thought along the lines that if you're going to do it,- do it right. And a mayfly without wings just isn't complete IMO.
And they're really not hard to put in. I would suggest you start out with a cahill, or any other fly that calls for mallard flank wings.
It's quite easy to work with, and with a little practice, you should have nice looking wings in no time.

My method for mayflies - tail first, then wing, body, and hackle

 

[MKern]

I checked my book by David Hughes, he teaches the wing first method. I was wrong. Must have been that sh*tty panphlet that I read when I first started.

 

[plumbob]

I'm kinda surprised to hear that ya's tie the tail in first. It will work but you can get better looking results by doing the wing first and its not any harder. In fact some will use the tail butts to seperate the wings. I think doing the tail first you run a risk of not having a good transition from tail to wing, not a big deal if your dubbing the body but on a quill or floss body it can make a huge difference in how it looks. Your also wasting wraps. Do the wing first tie you tail in at base of wing then run down to barb and dub forward. The other way your wrapping thread down to tail the going forward to do wing then going back down to start dubbing. The only time I don't do the wing first is on 28 royal wulffs. Then I'll do the tail and body first then the wing and then hackle. If you want a smooth transition doing the wing first is the only way to go.

 

[MKern]

It's just habit for me and the way I prefer now.
I'm sure there is some backing to what you are saying.
I don't see how tying in the tails second make a smoother body. If anything, I can judge where to snip off the excess wings material to smooth it out.
I do know that I use more thread and therefore more time, but I tie all split tails (unless tied for a customer or a fly shop) and prefer to have a little extra hand room to place them correctly. Plus if you wrap to the wing area, tie in the wing and wrap back and tie in the tail, but them have to tie over the butts of the tail then wind back, how is that more thread. I think it's about the same.

 

[plumbob]

You do have one less pass of thread, its easyer to show then explain. If what your doing works for you then thats fine, just keep tyin them flies.