What would you use for wings on a dry fly like the Adams? Blue Wing Olive?
Both of the traditional recipes call for hackle tips. Do most of you use feathers for your wings from a different cape/neck than you do four your hackle?
I will be tying a dry fly as my next fly for a Beginners swap that I am participating in, and I am trying to make sure I have my materials all lined up. I am contemplating either one of the BWO or the Adams pattern as my submission. I have decent 1/2 grizzly, 1/2 dun, and 1/2 brown capes that have a good selection of feathers from size ~24 and up so I have enough hackle for either fly. I do not want to waste any materials by using my feathers inappropriately.
Anyone care to offer up any suggestions or tips on selecting the appropriate hackle feathers for wing material.
Of course, I could also try out the new rotary hackle pliers on a parachute pattern.
I use hen hackles for hackle tip wings. They are much rounder than modern rooster neck and saddle feathers and cheaper too. Other common winging materials you may have on hand include calf body hair, calf tail for larger flies, deer hair and duck quill slips.
Hen Hackle or Game Hackle is the normal material used for the up wings, for Dry Fly Patterns.
The mounting point for the wing is critical for the balance of the completed fly pattern. Too many mount the wings forward, just behind the eye of the hook. I prefer to place the mounting point further back on the hook shank. This is a more natural position for the wing to match that of the natural mayflies as seen on the water.
Wings are mounted into position first, and then position up-right on the hook shank.
Some position their wings with the feather tips facing forward, over the eye of the hook, then a dam of thread wraps in front of the up-right wings hold the wing in it up right position.
The other way is referred to as the “Basket Wing” , lay the wings on the hook shank, point to the rear of the hook with the stems facing forward. Then the stems are bent backward toward the rear of the hook, and the thread wraps are done behind the up-right wings.
Other things to consider when dressing the Dry Fly pattern, is the Mayfly Proportions for a balanced dry fly.
In both cases the wings are mounting point is 1/3th back on the hook shank, behind the hooks eye.
Another very easy to use and affordable wing material for most any dry fly pattern are Turkey Flats. They can be found in pretty much every color these days.
For me the ultimate dry fly feather wings are from Metz hen necks.
They are rounded just right. Whiting’s are too pointed, but being much longer and narrower they are best suited to Palmer winding wet fly bodies and for small Buggers. (One guy’s opinion)
In the pre-Genetic hackle days, most of us saved the hackle tips we cut off when we finished hackling a fly and used these cut-offs for wings on another fly, or took “new” feathers and cut the tips off for the wings. With the advent of genetic hackle, the nice rounded tips went the way of the nickle cigar. If you are using genetic hackle, I endorse the suggestions of the others. However, if you have nice Chinese or Indian necks, their feather tips are rounded and will work just as well as genetic hen cape feathers. BTW, there are still some very nice Chinese and Indian skins to be had out there. And they are VERY reasonably priced
For the beginner, or “newbie”, reading this. the main thing wrong with either Indian or Chinese capes is the fact that it may take two or more (I have used as many as three) feathers to adequately hackle a fly. Yes, it CAN be a pain in the derrier to work with two or more hackles on a given fly; but it can be done. All of the old masters did it! One other shortcoming only affects those who tie the micro-stuff. These necks seldom have anything below a 20, IF they go that small. The 12’s-18’s can be tough to beat. The final negative is that they don’t have as many feathers per skin. The sheen on some of these capes is outstanding. It must be remembered that they truly are “yard birds” as they are raised for food and are free-range birds.
Adams are typically tyed with Grizzly Hen Hackle Tips. No for a BWO you can use Natural Dun Hen Hackle tips or Slate Duck Wings. Now for other patterns like Red Quills or Cahills then Natural Wood Duck (Not Imitation) would be used.
When I first started tying, I was given several hen necks (grizzly and white) when I started tying this summer. They are all very dull in color, not like my good dry fly hackles.
The grizzly necks are very dull with large stripes that are not very distinct. The feather size is pretty large, with nothing smaller than maybe 10 or 12. I may be able to get a few sized 14 feathers. It seems that about 80% of each feather is marabou like, leaving only about 20% as usable wing material.
I have been using them for some simple streamers and saltwater flies that I have been using on the coast.
Should I get another better quality hen neck for tying on wings?
Brian, tie one up and see how it looks. If you don’t like it then you can look for another neck. I think you’ll find them all right for hackle tip wings.
