Craven's Leadwing Coachman variation SBS

[ScottP]

The thread on wet fly wings got me inspired, and I really like Charlie's take on a classic (actually, I pretty much like everything he ties). Going to tie one with hen hackle fiber wings for comparison, but I have to replace the garbage disposal and rip some plywood on the tablesaw first.

hook - Mustad 3399A #12
thread - Danville 6/0 black
tag - tinsel gold
tail - golden pheasant tippets (Charlie used red-dyed, which look cool, but I stuck with the standard)
rib - x-small wire gold
abdomen - peacock herl
hackle - hen brown
wing - mallard quill segments


Part 1

Mash down barb, start thread about 1 eye width back from front




prep hackle (tips extend to hook point, or a little bit more) and tie in by tip; wrap back to hook point






tie in tinsel; wrap to barb and back (kinda screwed the pooch on the return wraps; should be tighter); tie off/trim






measure (shank) a few GP tippets and tie in




tie in peacock and rib; return thread to initial tie-in




wrap peacock, tie off and trim (lost the pic); spiral rib, helicopter end and tie off

[ScottP]

Part 2

sweep hackle back and wrap; tie off and trim




wet fingers, stroke hackle down and back; make a few wraps






prep a pair of duck quill segments - convex-to-convex, tips up (or down), 2/3 gap width




measure for length (tips even with hook bend); place quills on either side of hook, not directly on top




spin bobbin to tighten thread, tie in with a few firm wraps (maintain pinch to keep the quills from torquing)




trim quill butts, cover with thread, half hitch x 2, SHHAN








Regards,
Scott

[NJTroutbum]

Great SBS!

[cheech]

very well done!

[whatfly]

Excellent tie.

[Chuck441]

Scott, the lead wing coachman is my favorite searching winged wet. Trout seem to like chomping on it, so onto my leader it goes. Thanks for the fine (as usual) SBS.

Chuck

[Mark Vendon]

Hi Scott,

I would just like to add that the late Dick Talleur wrote that the best wing feather quills for this pattern are from an american black duck. The secondaries are better than the primaries. The feather color is darker and they hold up well while being fished.

Regards,
Mark

[ScottP]

I would just like to add that the late Dick Talleur wrote that the best wing feather quills for this pattern are from an american black duck. The secondaries are better than the primaries. The feather color is darker and they hold up well while being fished.

Mark,

Thanks for that info. One of my neighbors is a big duck hunter; I'll have to ask him if he gets any blacks.

Here's a try at the Leadwing with a hen hackle-fiber wing (tied this one with a cape feather)








For me, the hen's easier to manipulate, and more forgiving than quill segments, but both are fun to tie with.


Regards,
Scott

[NJTroutbum]

Both work nicely. I have tied the Leadwing with Dun Turkey-flat wings for the last decade or so. Very similar to the feather-wing version once chewed on.

[NJTroutbum]

My Turkey Flat Shortcut.

LWC.jpg