Great job by Eric Austin about 'Fan Wings' on the cover edition of this weeks' site.

Eric, fan wings, when tied properly, are perhaps the most intriguing fly to view. I enjoy tying them but cannot say the same about fishing them because I've hardly used them. Why? I don't know. I think you raised some question about them going out of favor. Perhaps because they are not as easy to tie properly and when not tied properly, they will cause all sorts of havoc with your tippet/leader. Also, since we fly fishers have become small tippet conscious, these flies simply do not behave. I recall reading in an older book, don't remember which, that the fly would create some twists in the tippet and when it hit the water, the tippet(must have been gut and fairly stiff) would untwist which would cause the fly to flip and that would attract the trouts.

I believe there are directions for tying fan wings in books by Bergman, Blades, Herter, maybe Cross, Holden and some probably others.

Excellent article and photos.

Allan