Kant of a Mayfly's Wing at rest

[rainbowchaser]

The angle of the mayfly wing appears to be relative to the flat surface on which they are sitting and is a result of the thorax being elevated by the legs. If the body is flat in the film with the legs penetrating the surface the wing will seem to be much more upright

[JohnScott]

These are BWO spinners actually on the water - in a little backwater about half a mile below the Chester Dam on the Henry's Fork.



I don't know if they would be able to maintain the same position on moving water, but it seems likely to me.

John

[AlanB]

No disagreement here but an observation.

I have only come across one reference to a time imitation of the wing has made any significant difference to the effectiveness of a fly. It was in an article by Dr Malcolm Greenhalgh in Fly Fishing and Fly Tying. He was fishing the river Lune in Lancashire late in the evening, with strong low sunlight. Patterns with wings were taken, those without were ignored (given all other considerations were the same). Malcolm believed that part of the "key" the trout had locked on to was the shadow of the wing on the natural.

Ever since I started tying I have been told that the wing is more for the benefit of the angler, making the fly easier to see, than the fish. Malcolm's experience seems to bear this out.

Cheers,
A.

[Byron haugh]

Although, if you read any of the books that address what a trout sees out of its window - they all agree - the wings without a body attached is first. Then the body, and when they get close, the wings and body finally joined.

[Steven]

If I remember correctly, Theodore Gordon used a single wing of wood duck that was canted back.

A.K. Best ties in his wings with the the butts facing the eye, arguing, that over time, the wings will cant back. And of course, the Harrop Elk Hair Dun has the wing canted back.

My guess would be that it's just easier for a guy who may have to tie 10 dozen flies a day to tie in wings tip forward.