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Thread: Comparadun Wing

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Comparadun Wing

    I have never understood the reasons for the full 180 degree fan wing on the Comparadun. I get why it needs to be pointing out to the sides of the fly for flotation and to imitate legs, but don't get the reason for it to extend all the way across the top. To imitate the wing? Mayfly wings are not oriented that way. To aid in flotation? Hopefully, the middle part never touches the water. It would also seem to put more weight in a place that would make the fly less stable on the water and make it more prone to be blown over and blown around by the wind. Easier to tie, maybe, than splitting the wings? What about tying them as usual and then just trimming out the middle part that would seem, at least to me, to make them more top-heavy than they need to be. That would be pretty simple.

    I have seen a couple of split wing CDC Comparadun tying videos but never a split wing deer hair one, and with the lightness of CDC it probably isn't as necessary to eliminate the center portion of the CDD wing as it would with deer hair. And before I get attacked by the Traditionalists, I understand it would no longer be a true Comparadun. I also know it would look much more like a deer hair spinner but without the wider silhouette of the spinner's wings.

    I'm sure I'm missing the reason for that part of the wing being there because I don't own and haven't read all of Hatches, so I need your help understanding.

    Joe

  2. #2
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    Joe,
    As you say, the primary purpose is to provide the "outrigger" floatations and stability. The 180 also gives a bit of silhouette of "wings" even though the "wings" aren't divided. When you fish them and see them on the water they do look like they have wings (at a bit of distance).

  3. #3
    AlanB Guest

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    Hi Joe, This isn't exactly what you were talking about but the winging style on these emergers works really well. The deer hair is set in a dubbing loop spun and wound then split. They land superbly and float really well. You can use this technique for dun imitations as well. It isn't restricted to deer hair either, CdC and snowshoe hare also work really well. It does correct the problem of orientation of the wing you mentioned.

    Cheers,
    A.

  4. #4
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    Nunica Mi U S A
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    Default

    I think that one advantage of the full 180 degree wing is that it is easier for the fisherman to see on the water. This is especially useful when making longer casts to spooky fish.
    I can think of few acts more selfish than refusing a vaccination.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by rainbowchaser View Post
    I think that one advantage of the full 180 degree wing is that it is easier for the fisherman to see on the water.
    I agree with rainbowchaser.

    Could never get them right so I switched to Spunduns; easier for me to tie right and the butts make a great pfd to help with floatation.








    Regards,
    Scott

  6. #6
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    Default

    Tie them however you like. It is much faster to tie a fanned wing than any alternative if you are comfortable with the pattern, but I've always assumed the full wing was meant to imitate wings in motion, but I would bet economy of effort was the real reason. Tie them your way and see if they perform differently...my bet is they won't, but experimentation is what tying is all about.

    If you are actually trying to ask 'why is pattern X not more realistic', then that's a different thread. None of our patterns are particularly realistic...but that's another thread...
    Last edited by whatfly; 03-06-2014 at 05:49 PM.

  7. #7
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    I agree with Whatfly.
    It is not a matter of how you achieve the fanwing.
    We often seem to forget that the trout does not see the fly on the water as well as we see it in our vise. When they see a fly on the water, they are impaired by the mirror effect of the water surface, water surface disturbances (waves, micro currents, etc.). They don't see much detail until they are quite close which is often after they have committed.
    Last edited by Byron haugh; 03-06-2014 at 05:47 PM.

  8. #8
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    "To aid in flotation? Hopefully, the middle part never touches the water."

    I'm confused by this. Middle part of what, exactly?

  9. #9

    Default

    Because it was tied that way originally....and it catches a helluvalotta fish. Need there be another reason?

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    I never questioned the effectiveness of the pattern. It is outstanding. It's fun to tie and especially fun to fish because it is so good. I tie and fish them with both the deer hair wing and, in the smaller sizes, a CDC wing. I'm going to try Davie McPhail's pattern with both materials in the wing. I was just curious as to a part of the fly that didn't seem to add anything to it, but the suggestions of visibility and ease of tying answer my question. Thanks!

    Joe

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