Those of you who get the TU magazine may have seen the Dave Whitlock (I think) article in the last issue singing the praises of the traditional winged wet, tied in the traditional method of matched mallard wings. I have Dave Hughes' book "Wet Flies", and he says this pattern is best tied with the softest possible wing, and even recommends not using matched wings at all, but instead to trim some hen hackle feathers and use as the wing. He says this gives the fly more movement, and attraction to the fish. He says the stiff wings on a traditional wet can also cause the fly to twist unnaturally in the water, deterring strikes. So, to me, his winged wets look basically like a soft hackle...

Since it is a snowy, slow day here, (6" and counting) I thought I would throw this out for your comment. What is your experience/opinion on the winged wet, and should I buy a pair of mallard wings to add to my collection??

Happy White Thanksgiving.....