Wings on dry’s, do the fish care or not??? “G”
Spelling and Grammar not subject to judgement… 
I leave them off of my mosquitos - the fish don’t seem to mind.
Tim Anderson
Grubb,
Don’t think so, but I could be wrong.
I don’t bother with traditional wings on flies smaller than 16. Often use something that I can see, though (foam parachute post, flashy mylar, etc.).
Still catch fish.
I like the way the wings ‘look’ on larger dries, so I put them on. Don’t know if the fish care. I doubt it, though, since on most ‘traditional’ dry fly pattens, the wings are obscured quite a bit by the hackle.
Good Luck!
Buddy
[url=HTTP://HOMETOWN.AOL.COM/RSAN2708/INDEX.HTML:baac9]HTTP://HOMETOWN.AOL.COM/RSAN2708/INDEX.HTML[/url:baac9]
Some fish may, some fish may not. Trout can be picky about the smallest details.
Consider that the wings also effect the balance and act as a indicater for small hard to see flies. I often use a white or pink wing on small flies to help me see them.
I also think the wing helps some patterns to land upright. Both tails and wings are an important part of balance.
Wings are the first thing that a trout sees when the fly drifts into thier vision cone.
This can be the trigger that creates interest and causes the trout to strike.
I don’t believe the color or if the wing is divided matters.
After reading JC’s excellent series called " Flies Only " here, I rarely tie without wings. The wings may be the first thing the trout see on an approaching natural insect depending on the angle.
Jude
Small flies work best. Elephants eat peanuts.
www.customflys.com
I believe that I may be putting my foot in the cow poop with this post but I don’t think that wings are critical for success. I fish free-stone streams with a pretty good current moving the fly along. I believe that the trout have to react quickly or miss a meal and they don’t get much of a look at the fly. Slow spring-fed streams may be a different story.
In actual practice, I do cover myself with the wing question since I fish parachutes most the time anyone.
Just my 2 percent of a dollar. 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
ultimately, the fish may not care, but I do.
Always…or 99% of the time
“Fear No Fish”
Vincent Marinaro, was James Birkholm’s (JC)mentor. As I understand the story, Vincent asked JC to carry on Vincent’s thoughts on the Dry Fly, and what the fish really see before they take the hook.
30 some years of research and photograph went into JC’s work, and he lugged the slides around to different meetings, showing the slides (with a dialog on the photos). At the urging of some members of FAOL, who were able to see the slides and the presentation, we encourage (nay may we say “Harp”?), and finally the pictures and story came into being as you see them in the “Flies Only” section of FEATURES.
Thank you JC, for honoring your mentor, and carrying on the tradition, of sharing knowledge.
“A student honors a mentor, by becoming a mentor, and passing on the knowledge!”
~ Parnelli
[This message has been edited by Steven H. McGarthwaite (edited 07 February 2005).]