Governor
Tied by Duane Vigue*
Hook: Martinek Streamer Hook #1
Thread/Head: Black/black.
Tag: Flat silver tinsel.
Body: Yellow floss ribbed with flat silver tinsel.
Throat: White bucktail over which are white hackle barbs
Wings: Yellow over which are grizzly hackle tips.
Shoulder: Mallard.
Sides: JC.
Note: This is one of Duane's "fishing grade" flies.
Whether tying flies for fishing or display, the
fly's basic construction is the same, however
there are a few things I do differently. This
is what and why:
A fishing fly is a piece of equipment where as a
display fly is just that, something to be displayed
and look at, like a piece of art. When tying a fly
for fishing I do not worry about laying the floss or
tinsel perfect, but worry about just getting it on
the hook shank in a decent, evenly manner. On a
display fly I will lay the floss or tinsel as flat
as possible and build up the center in a conical
fashion, similar to that of a cigar. This gives
the body just a little bit more "body" or shape,
making it a little more pretty in my opinion. I
also coat all of my fishing fly bodies with a liquid
plastic resin to ensure longevity. There's no sense
in taking the time to construct a fly that will come
apart after a few fish, which in my opinion wastes
the rest of the materials used. Fly tying material
isn't cheap so there is no need to basically throw
it out after a few fish
With the bucktail bellies in my fishing flies I cut
the bucktail as straight as possible off the skin and
tie it on directly, but on display flies I stack the
hair so all of the tips are the exact same length,
like a nice haircut.
Any peacock swords I use for fishing flies are just
tied on as straight as possible whereas my display
flies have peacock tied in by matched pairs to the
exact same length. I feel this gives the fly a
cleaner look like stacked bucktail.
I do absolutely nothing different to the wings with
the exception of on fishing flies I glue all the
shoulders to the wings and cheeks to the shoulders.
This also helps them last longer as well since
non-glued flies will tend to lose the cheeks almost
always first, then followed by the shoulder. With
display flies this is not needed for obvious reasons.
As far as the head goes, on display flies I just try
and make it a little neater, more uniformed and better
proportioned to the rest of the fly. I cement, lacquer
and/or gloss coat the heads exactly the same.
Overall, I just try to tie display flies to the
absolute best of my ability to showcase my tying
skill and the material. I also utilize only the
finest of material on my display flies. Grade A
materials, hackles with perfect stems, shoulders
that are the exact same size and so on. Remember,
you are trying to display the material, your tying
and the pattern all at the same time. ~
Duane P Vigue
*About Duane Vigue
Duane Vigue is another fine commercial Tyer from
the Eastern half of the US, Maine to be exact.
Duane is a hard core Tyer and fisher of the so
called "Rangeley" style of streamers that were
popularized by the likes of Carrie Stevens and Herb
Welch. His flies are the result of countless hours
on the water, testing and refining his tying skills
and patterns. He not only ties the patterns of Stevens
and Welch, he also innovates his own. Like Marc,
Duane's "fishing" grade flies are wonderfully crafted
and his display patterns are a must have for any
serious collector. Duane's flies can be seen here
and in such publications as the Art of Angling. We
will be hearing much more from Duane in the years to come.
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