Tying Dry Fly Wings?

[goodfortune]

I'm trying to become better at tying Catskill-style dry flies. One of the things I am having trouble with is tying on the wings to sit straight, or perpendicular, when looking down on the hook shank. I also have trouble are evenly splitting the wings, so my flies often end up lop-sided, falling over onto the heavier side.

Does anyone have have any tips to offer on tying on dry fly wings? As always, any feedback will be appreciated. Thanks guys and gals :-D

 

[afishinado]

goodfortune wrote:
I'm trying to become better at tying Catskill-style dry flies. One of the things I am having trouble with is tying on the wings to sit straight, or perpendicular, when looking down on the hook shank. I also have trouble are evenly splitting the wings, so my flies often end up lop-sided, falling over onto the heavier side.

Does anyone have have any tips to offer on tying on dry fly wings? As always, any feedback will be appreciated. Thanks guys and gals :-D

Here is a tutorial for the proper techniques. Like most everything else, it just takes some practice:


Hackle Tip Technique

Split Wing


Good luck.

 

[tomgamber]

Tie your wings in first if you are not...here is good video demonstration...

http://www.theanglersnet.com/Fly-Tying-Videos/play_video.asp?section=6&VID=133

 

[osprey]

Right on the money Tom......wings first. Not trying to hijack but for catskill style drys try stacking spade hackle fibers in a .22 shell for nice tails. Hackle tip wings are one thing , upright divided wood duck are another it's just a matter of practice really , you'll get it.

 

[tomgamber]

I actually find the wood duck wings easier because they are more durable. First wrap loosely, then pull from behind by the stem to adjust the length. I think he has a video that shows this too.

http://www.theanglersnet.com/Fly-Tying-Videos/play_video.asp?section=6&VID=143

Love the tunes on these videos too...

 

[MKern]

If its wood duck style you may have to trim the stem at the tip of the feather approximately to the length of the wing. The stem will add weight and usually more barbs on one side, so trimming it helps; but is an extra step.

Thread dams aren't all they are cracked up to be, so I often will wrap the wing with a few turns of thread like a parachute, then split. This keep the wings upright and easier to adjust once the fly is complete.

Practice helps, I think it took me over a hundred flies to get it okay.

 

[Bruno]

You may want to try it like this. http://flyanglersonline.com/flytying/fotw2/050905fotw.php

 

[dryflyguy]

I think that this is where a vice that roates helps.
While you are dividing the wings, keep turning the fly sideways to get a good view of it. If one wing is thicker than the other, unwrap the thread, and pull more of the fibers over to the thinner side with a bodkin.
Just keep doing it until you got the wings at the right angle and even.
Sometimes a wing just never seems to come out right, and I just back up and take it out, and put a new one in

 

[osprey]

With wood duck or barred mallard etc. after the first pass of thread , to divide evenly , i do a double figure 8 around the base and then bind down on the hook , this keeps em tight and nice and durable.

 

[troutslammer]

good info osprey , fig 8

 

[blueheron]

Don't be afraid to pull them around a bit after you tie them in to orient them correctly before you wrap the hackle and then let the hackle wraps support them.

 

[osprey]

blueheron............that's the ticket , get em where you want em before you lock em in and then wrap em up with the hackle (at least two on my catskill style drys , sometimes three hackles) good info.