Traditional Wet Flies

[RCream]

Hi everyone-

I'm just getting into tying traditonal winged wets, and wondered what are everybody's favorite sorce of materials. Mostly wings and skins and stuff from lots of interesting birds seems to be what is hard to find. Is there a good source for woodduck that won't break the bank? Grouse wings, golden plover, etc. etc. etc.?? Thanks.

[peregrines]

I mostly tie soft hackles instead of traditional wets but if you want to tie up a storm without breaking the bank and don't have friends that can shoot straight () here are some options:

For wings:

You can buy small packages of wood duck breast feathers (a dozen feathers), or a better value are breast or flank feathers dyed to wood duck color (1/4 oz package, with more feathers) for about $4.00

Matched pair of mallard wings for about $3.00 or for bigger flies, a package of 2 matched pairs of Goose wing quills (4 feathers) for about $2.00

For hackling wets:

You can use packages of grouse/partridge feathers (maybe 1/4 oz) for about $2.00 (As opposed to a whole skin for $20-25. And a better alternative to a whole grouse skin might be a might be a JV Hen from www.conranch.com for about the same $. They're bred for wetfly use and have stems that are easier to work with.)

For light color hackling (creams and duns) hen capes are probably the way to go or saddles if you'r tying larger wets. I'd personally go for Hen or JV Hens from Conranch ( You get the cape, saddle and extra bits). Other options are Brahma hens, Whiting Coq De Leon hen capes for sizes 10-16 for around $15 and even Indian Hen Necks (but only for large wets size 10 and up) for around $5.

For hackling small wets (down to size 20) you can use Starling. Starling skins go for around $5.00

All of the above should be available through FAOL sponsors and your local fly shop. I'd start out with the packages of grouse, wood duck dyed flank feathers, a pair of matched Duck Wings, and a starling skin first, and expect to get sucked into whole grose and hen skins down the road and as I "needed" them.

Hope this helps.

peregrines

[peregrines]

^^^^I wasn't swearing in the above post^^^^and don't want anyone to think I was, but apparently the software thought so. I was referring to being "drawn in"...

[gadabout]

I tie a lot of winged wet flies. I don't feel most of the materials are that hard to find. Mallard quills of different colors are pretty easy to find. Mottled turkey is fairly easy to come by these days. Most of the other wings are mallard flank, wood duck flank, or teal. Mallard flank is cheap. Wood duck flank is pricey but not terrible. I buy it to make the wings on Catskill dries. Whatever is left over from each feather, I use for the wings on wet flies. You can also buy mallard flank that has been dyed to the wood duck color. Not quite the same but not bad either. Some tiers even prefer it on wet flies.

[CM_Stewart]

I'm afraid golden plover doesn't come cheap. Best source I know is Jim Slattery http://www.jimsflyco.com/html/wet_fly_supplies.html
who carries a good selection of other skins for traditional soft hackles.

If you are thinking of using partridge, I think you would be much better off buying a whole skin rather than a package of feathers. The package will not have the smaller feathers that you will want to use, and one skin will last you for a long, long time. It's a bigger investment up front, but a much better value for the money.

[JeffHamm]

Hi RCream,

If you are thinking of marrying slips as well, such as for the Parmachene Belle, then I recomend buying pre-dyed goose shoulder feathers. I've found they marry very nicely. I tried dying some white duck quills myself, and botched it (my dye gummed up the feathers and most attempts to marry two strips ended up being an exercise in futility).

- Jeff

P.S. I agree on buying the partridge skin if you are get into soft hackles. And they are excellent flies to have.

[mr. blur]

were do you find predyed goose quills?
I dye the white ones myself and have had no problems marrying the wings.

here's a widow...

[dixieangler]

If you are thinking of marrying slips as well, such as for the Parmachene Belle....I tried dying some white duck quills myself, and botched it (my dye gummed up the feathers and most attempts to marry two strips ended up being an exercise in futility).

Go to a craft store or craft department and get a pack of multicolored "Indian Feathers" used for kids' Indian headdresses and other art projects. They are matched duck quills that are dyed in different colors. There should be a large size feather pack (large feathers) and a small size feather pack (small feathers). About as cheap as you can get and they work great .

[JeffHamm]

Hi,
My Aunt sent me a bunch of dyed goose feathers from a Nova Scotian fly shop. She lives in Truro, but the shop may have been in Halifax. Anyway, here in New Zealand I haven't been able to find any dyed feathers for wings. Wee wets are not overly popular here, and the married winged versions are unheard of. That's why I had to try dying my own. I'm sure if it's done properly it should turn out fine (as demonstrated by Mr. Blur; nice fly by the way!), but my first and only attempt was a disaster. Also, the dye didn't set properly so the few flies I did get tied have all had the colour run and so my P. Belle's all have a pinkish wing. Sigh.

- Jeff

[RCream]

thanks everyone. heres another question: for married wings, do you prefer goose or duck??