Addicted to Muddlers

[Ray Kunz]

I really like weighted Muddlers but have a continuing problem. I expect the fragile turkey feather wings and tails to be demolished after use but I'd like them to look neat as they leave my vise. None of the feathers I have seem to meet the need. The black and white barred secondaries obviously don't look right but are more substantial.
The thinner more speckled feathers that I think might be called terrciaries (wing joint closer to the body) look better but simply fall apart with ragged edges. I've tried the so-called Rio Grande feathers and I've tried Krylon spray fixative.
What is the real professional way to handle this problem? All comments are welcome.

[NJTroutbum]

I could be wrong, But I always figured the professional way to tie a muddler was to tie it neat and pretty in the vise.....then fish them until the fish shred them....then change flies.

Seriously?....Never met a turkey wing that lasted too long out of the vise looking pretty. Unless you spray it to death with clear poly.

[ScottP]

I spray the feathers (standard mottled turkey) with Krylon (matte; never cared for the glossy). Seems to hold them together until the fish start chewing. Not a Muddler here, but the sequence is similar










Regards,
Scott

[Tig]

Turkey wing is the best I've found. I have tied lots of muddlers just because they work so well. I do the same as Scott with the fixative. I try to have them looking okay out of the vise but don't worry about it much any more. I believe you will find the original pattern was quite beat up looking to begin with. (Somewhere on FAOL I saw a picture). The more ragged they get the better they work (sometimes). I find the light barred wing feathers make for a good shiner minnow imitation. (JMTC)

[Alberto]

Ray,

I love to tie and fish Muddlers of all kinds. For the original Muddler wing I tried using goop and even epoxy, all it ended up doing is spinning the fly like a propeller in the water. Even with the coating, after a couple fish the wings were ragged anyway and the fly kept on catching fish.

Alberto

[whatfly]

There is no fix if you insist on using turkey. I had always assumed it was for exactly this reason that Jack Dennis came up with the Kiwi Muddler, which uses a rabbit strip instead. Not as elegant a pattern, but much more durable.

[martinwestbeek]

There are hillbilly fixes for your problem, Ray:

Use mink
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater


and

or eelskin:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

[Buddy Sanders]

The Kiwi Muddler is a fantastic fly!

Jack Dennis came up with quite a few cool flies and techniques. One I particularly like is using turkey wing slips that come from the same feather, rather than 'matching' them, when tying the original muddler minnow. Both feather slips curve the same way, and the fly has an unusual darting action in the water.

In any event, to Ray's original question, I've used fixative, lacquer, goops, flexament, and several other failed attempts to hold the turkey together. Finally just let it look ragged, even just off the vise. Seems to work just fine no matter what you do to them.

I fish the Kiwi version more and more now. Much more durable, and seems easier to tie and fish.

Buddy

[Jayatwork]

Jack Dennis gets credit for the Kiwi Muddler, but I'm not sure he was the first one to have the idea. I remember very shortly after Byford introduced the Zonker, guys tying Sculpin patterns with Zonker strips, before Zonkers were in any catalog and pre-cut Zonker strips weren't available. I remember one guy in particular saying "The Matuka sculpin is a great pattern but what if I used a rabbit strip instead". I'm sure it's one of those ideas that occurred to a lot of tiers.

Back to the original question, I spray the turkey feathers. But I don't worry too much if they get separated while fishing. It doesn't seem to hurt the effectiveness much.

[AllenOK]

I have tied A LOT of Muddlers this year. I've actually only fished a few of them. My best one has been a size 12 Muddler. I've literally fished them until all that's left is a little bit of the tinsel on the hook, and a spun caribou head. I'm lucky enough to work near a creek that is absolutely loaded with Green Sunfish. Those fish literally ripped my Muddlers to shreds.