Classic wet flies and wood duck wings

[gfen]

I want to tie up some classic Bergman-styled wet flies, but I'm going to need some materials.

Speficially, I'm confused by the ones with wings made from wood duck flank (or, mallard, in my case). Are these wings usually paired slips like what I might put on a coachman wet, or is it a single piece of barred feathers tied over the body?

I did some googling last night, and I'm a little lost on this aspect of wets..

Also, where does one find exotics like blue jay, or the red and yellow hackle? I'm going to assume, without having looked in the store, that the red and yellow is probably died goose or turkey, but the blue jay?

Anything else that someone more versed in these can suggest I pick up? I guess I need something to substitute for jungle cock, too, I presume that guneia hen is the common substitute?

 

[tomgamber]

BLUE JAY!!!!!???? Show up outside my window any morning about 5am...bring something lethal. I've got 4 nesting pairs within earshot...never heard birds so loud in my life.

Anyway...the yard is your best bet. You can also substitute just like you do for the Wood duck. Find something acceptable to you...the fish really don't care if its authentic.

 

[GreenWeenie]

I’ve always simply clipped some wood duck barbs and tied them over the body for the wing. Most of the wets I’ve seen commercially tied appear to be tied this way. It might not be the classic technique but it produces very fishable flies.

As for jungle cock substitute, I’ve tried the plastic things (suck) and also the black hen feathers with the paint spot (very adequate for larger flies but not smaller). I know there is some type of spotted black feather (I can’t remember the name, though) and you use a burner to shape the feather into a jungle cock looking feather with one spot on the tip. I’ve never done this but I know the feather and technique exist.

See if you can find a store that sells real jungle cock feathers by the dozen. Nothing beats the real thing. A good cape will set you back about $90.

 

[osprey]

As far as i know the wing is a single clump of wood duck not split into two , but that might be worth a try also. My grandfather used to fish wet flies tied that way as far back as i can remember , he would fish a brace of three an end fly and two droppers , as for finding wood duck feathers , ask around for someone who hunts them and make an offer , most non tiers that hunt them don't know they are anything but waste so you can get a good deal if ask around. Wood ducks are one of the most sought after for eating , they taste great and i think i read somewhere that is because they are vegitarian.

 

[Acristickid]

gfen- I can offer these guys site up. They have duck wings on the bottom of the page- along with lots of other wet fly stuff.

I enjoy wetfly fishing.

http://www.wetflywaterguides.com/Leaders_DVDs_Misc_Black.pdf

 

[shakey]

gfen wrote:
I want to tie up some classic Bergman-styled wet flies, but I'm going to need some materials.

Speficially, I'm confused by the ones with wings made from wood duck flank (or, mallard, in my case). Are these wings usually paired slips like what I might put on a coachman wet, or is it a single piece of barred feathers tied over the body?


Anything else that someone more versed in these can suggest I pick up? I guess I need something to substitute for jungle cock, too, I presume that guneia hen is the common substitute?

usually wood duck and teal wings are rolled.you start with married feather three times the size you want it to be ,fold it into itself thaen fold it again.

someone here once posted a technique that was much easier.you just pulled a flank feather through your thread wrap till it was the right size then clipped the excess.

anybody have a link?

for JC i have used mylar imitation,guinea fowl as described above and painted black hackle tips or nail polish on starling.they all catch fish.

when i get to be a better tyer i will buy the real thing.

 

[wetflyguy]

As far as fishing flys go ,I use arolled wing on them.
Always use a rolled wing with wood Duck

Love fishing wet flys!!!





Wet

 

[DMT]

Take a wood duck feather and stroke a section of the fibers so they're perpendicular to the stem. THe section should be about 3 times as thick as you think you'll need for the wing. Strip them from the stem. Fold the bundle in on itsel so that the outer ends meet in the middle . Then fold the bundle together in half and tie it on. (hope that's clear - much easier to do than to describe)

The blue jay is not the same as the one flying around your back yard. It's actuall Eurasian Jay. It has unfortunately become hard to get a hold of with all the avian flu nonsense. Starling feathers can be used as a JC sub. But you can get loose JC feathers fairly cheaply.