5 replies to this topic

[JerriB]

Okay, I'm gonna cheat a little with my wet fly wings. Has anyone tried using hackle tips for classic wet flies? I started doing this years ago because I had a lot of hen hackle necks in a rainbow of colors, but I didn't have a great selection of duck or goose quills, so I just tried these instead. And I liked them. They look good, they fish great and , where the wing would be the first part of the fly to fall apart, now it outlasts may of the other parts of the pattern. 

 

I figured if they are good for emergers, why not a standard wet. They are practical from a #10 down to a #16.

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[JustWondering]

Looks good!  I'm sure they fish pretty well.  Like a mixed wing or bucktail.

[ted patlen]

hackle wings have been around a long time...they can be tied in back to back, front to front (splayed) or even flat.    

 

wet fly wings do not have to be paired wing/tail quills.  as brad said mixed fibers work as well.  a little of mallard, teal, guinea, turkey flats (feather dusters!).  if you have very big hackles with long flues then take some of those beautiful soft fibers from the bottom of bottom of the feather.  those long, flimsy turkey tail fibers that are no good for a married wings are great as soft wings 

 

 

there are no rules

[JerriB]

Ted, you said it. Every "new" idea" has probably been independently thought of from years back. I found  that mine wasn't an original concept when I got a copy of J. Edson Leaonard's "Flies" and it had that one illustration of about a dozen different wet-fly wing styles. 

[ted patlen]

exactly !!!!!    look at book plates and images from the 1800's but closely.   Many people assume but don't take the time to look for answers...  Leonards book is great isn't it!

[jbratt44]

I do not have a copy of "flies" however like the examples you posted. Am going to give it a tryas I enjoy the challenges of tying including use of new techniques materials and designs. Would love to see other examples. Jim