Any tips for Comparadun Wings?

C

cms829

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Sep 23, 2016
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Ive only tried tying them a few times and seems like I am missing out as a lot of people say they fish really well!

My issue seems to be getting that nicely fanned out wing. Mine always wind up looking like a post, not fanned out. Anyone have any tips? Successful patterns?
 
cms829 wrote:

My issue seems to be getting that nicely fanned out wing. Mine always wind up looking like a post, not fanned out. Anyone have any tips? Successful patterns?
Click to expand...

Tying in with the tips forward? Using the right amount of deer hair - not too much but not too little? You're not wrapping thread around the hair to post it up like a parachute are you? Using decent quality hair - often labeled as comparadun hair?

Perhaps you just need to be a little forceful in manipulating the hair into the final position. Tie in the wing first, then tail. Dub body including a decent thorax in front of the wing to help it stand up. WHip finish and cut thread then use your fingers to force the hair into a "fan" covering 180 degrees. Sometimes you just have to work it a little but it should move into place for you.

I often substitute cdc for deer hair. Very effective. As for patterns most of mine are standard red quill, march brown or sulfur because that covers the mayfly hatches I tend to encounter. I'm sure I have some olives too and you could always do some grey ones.
 
Mathews at blue ribbon flies has done a couple of sparkle dun videos. Not sure which one but it covers hair choice and tie in well. To some extent you would need to work the wing edges with your fingers a bit to get the 180 degree arc.

I actually prefer the splay somewhwat less than 180 but ymmv.

 
When tying in the deer hair make sure the first wrap is loose, then tighten the thread while coming up with the 2nd wrap. This should cause the deer hair to spin a little.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNSTserR_Q8
 
Tie the wing in with the butts forward much like a caddis wing. Cover the butts with thread and dubbing. This method is way easier and allows the wing to angle back much like a real mayfly. Google search " Paul Weamer comparadun".
 
Brianh wrote:
When tying in the deer hair make sure the first wrap is loose, then tighten the thread while coming up with the 2nd wrap. This should cause the deer hair to spin a little.
Click to expand...

I use 2 loose wraps before pulling up on the third. I also tend to offset the clump of hair to the near side of the hook to help get it to properly center on the top of the hook. Then I use a thumb/finger to spread the hair out into the final shape.
 
That video sums it up for me. The comparaduns seem to have the wing swept back a little. You do not want to tie up a mess of them only to find the deerhair has folded forward for lack of firm dubbing in front and behind the wing. Tie them then check them next day. I tie tips forward. I can tie three of these in the time it takes to tie Catskills hackles style. I do love my red quills though. To handle the deerhair you need stout thread.
 
Get the correct hair. Order from Blue Ribbon and you should be good to go.
 
I will agree to get your hair from Blue Ribbon. They tie a ton of Comparaduns and know how to select deer hair.

Couple of more tips. I like to cut the butts off at a taper. Makes a nicer underbody for the Dubbing IMHO and wings stays put better. For larger flies don't compress the hair too much to make a nice base.

Tips forward or back is something I'm on the fence for. I tie my March Browns back, my sulphurs and Hendricksons forward. Can't say I do it for any real reason.

Finally, a little microflash tied in with the wing helps me see thw wings better in low light conditions.

I tie almost all as Sparkle duns with a shuck. Years ago I just fished tan sparkle duns, mostly about size 16, in late spring/early summer and don't think I caught less fish than when I brought a ton of flies. Works for sulphurs or tan caddis.
 
Check out Don Bastian's March Brown Comparadun video on youtube
 
There are some excellent tips in this thread, and I hope the video below helps, too.

Tim

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P24qH9govCg[/youtube]
 
Nature's Spirit sells the best deer hair. They're very picky about the quality of the hair they sell. You can found it online from places like the Slide Inn and Fly Fish Food.
 
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