I’m talking about wings on dry flies. We have hackle tips, duck feathers, deer hair divided, comparaduns, wally wings, wonder wings, poly yarn, calf hair and parachute posts in natural and odd colors. I know I missed some. Does it make any difference to a fish what the wing looks like? I believe that the wings on mayfly imitation are for the fisherman. They make us think our fly is more realistic or is easier to follow. All the fish sees is something sticking up in about the right place.
Tyers try to use materials and tying techniques to imitate, as close as they can, the insect.
Good question. parachute, paraloop, and hay stacker flies also catch fish.
Rick
I believe, in some cases it does.There are really only a few things the fisher can control: identify the hatch, read the water for likely feeding spots, make good fly presentations, and use the best fly he has to meet the hatch.The ?best fly? is the one whose size, shape, action, and color most closely resemble the insect which the trout are feeding on. The wing style chosen should be location appropriate. The speed of the water may require a certain style of fly and wing. In slow water,a no hackle fly may be best. In fast water, a heavily hacked upwing may be best.Some insects are best imitated with traditional upwings. Some with a Compara style. Some with duck slips, and still others with a split mallard flank feather.
In my experience they do. The biggest and best hatches around me are the BWOs, Sulfurs, Midges, Tricos, and Caddis. There are certain stages in each cycle of the bugs. I’ve fished sulfurs when they wouldn’t nothing but comparaduns or parachutes, or classic-style dry flies. You can add emergers, cripples, etc. to that list. Through a hatch you are using only, say comparaun-style flies, there are always fish willing to eat, but not as many. You also need to consider spinners. You can make it as simple or complicated as you desire. JMO
Swisher and Richards promoted mayfly dries without hackle . To some degree they felt the emphasis was on the wing and body. However it wasn’t the only style they used. I suppose if the fish takes a fly with wings MAYBE YOU needed them. If he takes one without wings then you didn’t NEED them. It’ always fun trying different stuff.
Unless I am fishing fast water I snip the hackle points off the bottom so it floats low, wings half spent. Just me ?
Unless I am fishing fast water I snip the hackle points off the bottom so it floats low, wings half spent.---- Just the way I present most of my dries.
To be honest I am not sure. For the past 14 years I have only fished a comparadun style fly from size 24 to 12 . The fly was either a sulphur, BWO, or some midge variant. For the comparadun wing I have used CDC, Snowshoe, and synthetics (very little synthetics) and have had very good success during all four seasons.
I’ve used all four for parachute posts. they all work. I think that the wing is more critical in emergers and somewhat in comparaduns because those wings touch the water where their color can be seen clearly by the fish. In duns, I don’t think the style or color of the wings matter.
Spot on with regard to the wings! --My observations have been somewhat the same when I fish emergers ,-- my hookup rates are defiantly better with cripples. – I don?t think color matters near as much as the translucence of the wing , size and shape, those are the keys , IMO Often I will simply change size and / or shape if I am not catching or getting a bite. --However we look at it the trout is always right 
what would a comparadun be without the wing?
Without wings , it would not be a comparadun-- it would be a nymph… I have modified drys in this manner when I have run out and become desperate …
Without wings , it would not be a comparadun-- it would be a nymph… I have modified drys in this manner when I have run out and become desperate …
Without wings , it would not be a comparadun-- it would be a nymph… I have modified drys in this manner when I have run out and become desperate …
Without wings , it would not be a comparadun-- it would be a nymph… I have modified drys in this manner when I have run out and become desperate …
Is it just a figment of my imagination, Or are some flies more productive after having fish beat them up and assuming a damaged, crippled appearance?
Yep ! The fly penetrates the surface a bit , mimics a fluter and gets more strikes , that has been my experience…
Yep ! The fly penetrates the surface a bit , mimics a flutter and gets more strikes , that has been my experience…
I think that with many flies they are overdressed to begin with and a little damage helps make them more buggy. Except for flies I plan on fishing in rougher water like a humpy I try to keep my dry flies and wets in particular sparse.