tying first dry fly - need guidance

[Steven]

Steven,
How would one interpret this quote from Valla's book?:

"Marinaro wrote compellingly that a dry fly's wing was of paramount importance in pattern design: "for the wing, its height and breadth and flatness, is the most important part of a floating dun!"



NJ
Here's my attempt at a thorax dun style using turkey flats. Probably not the best example though.

Same way you would. Such a wing was necessary in the context of a thorax dun.

Yet, why wasn't it necessary for the skater?

Remember, the thorax dun was as much about its supposed footprint on the water as it was about the wing. How in the world could Marinaro possibly have a hackle wing in the context of his thorax dun? To sit right, the hackle was always going to be relatively undersized.