Wet Fly Wings

[bnwise]

Hey all,
I'm really new to the world of tying winged wets. The bodies of the flies I am tying now look great but I am really battling the wings. Most of them are wanting to split instead of "bend" and the tie in point. How do I fix this and any other things that may help would be greatly appreciated.

Brian

[Al Beatty]

Hi Brian,

Tuff Film is a spray coating used in the art world. It will also make quill slips a lot tougher. Take care & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:d6bb7]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:d6bb7]

[Ray Kunz]

1. Look at the back (dull side) of the feathers and note that the barbules will be duller and thinner near their tips and more shiny and thicker toward the quill stem. Don't use the thick parts. If the thin part of the feather are not big enough for your needs,use a larger feather. Even use a goose quills if you must.
2. Always use the "slack loop" or "pinch wrap" and don't let your grip loose until the wings are really firmly tied down.
Others may have differing comments but these work for me. Good luck

[This message has been edited by Ray Kunz (edited 24 April 2006).]

[This message has been edited by Ray Kunz (edited 24 April 2006).]

[Bugsy]

Yes, the tips are thinner than the base. I don't know why you have to look at the back of the feather to determine that.

[billknepp]

When "Setting" the Quill Slip Wings, wrap two loose wraps pinch the tie in point tightly between your thumb and index fingers and pull straight up!!..You'll get well set straight wings consistantly Every Time, With practice....

bnwise;
I had the same problem and these same fine members helped me overcome it with the same advice. Alway's willing to share is what makes this place so great.

------------------
Don't forget the Michigan Fish-In August 14th to the 20th. The Holy Water's of the Au Sable await you!!

Cactus

[billknepp]

also along the same lines as Al suggested....Krylon "workable Fixatif" found in the craft section at Wally World is also a great spray fixative for keeping feathers together for ya...

[Bitterroot]

Mabey tip number 120 in the flytying tips would help you out with your wets. I haven't tied wets using them but tie Hemingways and Henryville Specials using them and they work great. The tip is in the archives titled "Caddis Wings".

There is a lesson in the Atlantic Salmon Series about "Married Wings"! Although the lesson, has to do mostly with combining different wing colors, it is also has good instructions for fixing wet fly wings, that split apart when you are tying wet flies.

Traditional Wet Flies, use material from the flight wings. The barbs interlock, and can be re-lock if they become unattached. Check out the article at the url listed below...

[url=http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flytying/atlantic/marriedwing/index.html:4a145]Married Wings[/url:4a145]

~Parnelli

[billknepp]

Steven H,

You might want to read the first page of the Traditional Wet Fly swap...Before saying that Traditional Wet flies had Quill wings...as I recall, A very heated debate over that very thing ...lol

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 25 April 2006).]