salmo
Well-known member
Are dry fly wings essential? I tie some flies with just hackle or maybe some polypro as wing impression. I will leave it to the experts here, of which group I am not a member.
Dry Fly Wings
- Thread starter salmo
- Start date
dudemanspecial
Well-known member
There is strong belief in many circles that they are the most important part of a dry fly as the trout see the silhouette of the wings as the fly approaches indicating to it that it is a mayfly or whatever you are trying to match.
I use some type of wing, usually for me its the post on a parachute.
Are they essential? Depends.
I use some type of wing, usually for me its the post on a parachute.
Are they essential? Depends.
tomgamber
Well-known member
Yes and no.
sandflyx
Well-known member
wings are the first thing a trout see through their window to the surface.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
They are essential to me because otherwise I can't see the fly... 😉
I’m no expert but consider anything sticking up from the hook at the eye can be considered a wing. Could be hackle, fur, a post or a contrasting material that fly tiers refer to as a wing. So what we call a wing is completely not necessary. However, something sticking up is necessary otherwise your fly would be a very light nymph.
Last edited:
nfrechet
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2013
- Messages
- 1,982
how a trout sees
www.flyfisherman.com
How Trout See - Fly Fisherman
Comprehending the visual capabilities of the trout provides a better understanding of why this creature has gained the reputation as a weary, yet selective, predator.
www.flyfisherman.com
Tabasco-Joe
Active member
A weak point in my tying and something I need to work on.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
99% of my dry flies that imitate mayflies are either thorax or parachutes.
On 100% of the 99%, the wing is a single simple post of some synthetic material like Hi-Viz.
That kind of wing is about as easy as it gets...
On 100% of the 99%, the wing is a single simple post of some synthetic material like Hi-Viz.
That kind of wing is about as easy as it gets...
goose54cdd
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2021
- Messages
- 362
I don't think it's dire to put traditional wings on flies. If you're speaking of Catskill type wings I rarely tie them. I guess the post on a parachute is considered a wing and the hair on a comparadun is a wing. I really only fish those two styles. I do have Catskills ties that work, too. Catskills flies are pretty hard to tie with its traditional wings. They were always tough for me. Eventually, they just got phased out of my fishing.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
I'm in your camp philosophically but Catskill dry flies are beautiful things that I consider elegant, fun to fish, effective and an important connection and part of my development as a fly fisherman.
Just take a look look at the flies Mike Valla ties to pay homage... Absolutely wonderful and I'm sure Norm (nfrechet on PAFF) and others have examples that also knock it out of the park!!!
For all of the above reasons, I still tie and fish them on occasion to stay grounded...
Regardless, I'll never argue the point they are more effective than the hokey single post parachutes & thorax flies I favor. However, for a beginner they can be frustrating to get right and if you get them wrong...
Your leader will twist up to all hell...
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I agree about divided wings
They’re what a mayfly should look like IMO
And what I usually tie and fish, even if they don’t really matter
They’re what a mayfly should look like IMO
And what I usually tie and fish, even if they don’t really matter
I tie "wings" on my dries. I mostly tie either parachutes or I use hair-wings on flies. I never tie traditional Catskill wings. I use calf hair, squirrel tail, deer hair, etc. So more Wulff like.
goose54cdd
Active member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2021
- Messages
- 362
I agreed they are elegant and tying them keeps us grounded. I agree they do work, but I never perfected the placing the wings. They're passable, but I deferred to the easier parachutes and comparaduns. They are beautiful flies.
dryflyguy
Well-known member
I remember reading about dry fly wings in Vince Marinaros "Modern Dry Fly Code"
He stated that the first thing the trout sees as it comes floating into it's window, is the wings.
I believe he even had pictures of a dry fly from underneath the water, to prove his point
He stated that the first thing the trout sees as it comes floating into it's window, is the wings.
I believe he even had pictures of a dry fly from underneath the water, to prove his point
salmo
Well-known member
That's kind of what I was getting at. I had a guy in Idaho saying that very bushy dry flies (tail or no tail) really were impressionistic of fluttering caddis.
moorestowngreg
New member
I have always believed that wings give the fly a silhouette more similar to a natural looking from the bottom up. That said, I also believe that parachute posts and compara-dun wings do the same and I use the latter if I think I need a flush floating in the film presentation. I have no idea what the fish think, but that's my story and I'm sticking with it. And it really gets down to how long the fish will be able to look at it depending on the water one is fishing.
