more feather questions

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

last fall, someone posted a list of uses of pheasant feathers from the neck to the tail. at the time I printed the page for future use.
With hunting season going again. is there a way to find out what feathers from what birds (duck,geese,ect) could be usefull?

so far i have received more pheasants, which have been skinned washed and dried. the wings and tail center sections hve been saved also.
this week i have a canadian goose which i saved the wings from. and a drake mallard, also saved the wings and flank feathers. two hen mallards which i also saved the wings

is there more feathers that i should save from these birds? no luck as of yet on the wood duck. but i did get two last year and saved the flank feathers from them.

I’m having as much fun collecting fur and feathers as i am tying with all that i have come by.
thanks Don

2

Don - The only limitation on the use of feathers in making a fly is your imagination. Almost all of the feathers of ducks & Geese can be used.

Some examples:

  1. The CDC from waterfowl is used in many flies, just look in the search section of FAOL for a start.

  2. The breast feathers of most drake ducks can be made into Hornberk style flies, used as beards on wet flies as well as wings.

  3. The neck feathers of most hen ducks make pretty good soft hackles.

  4. The tail feathers of a goose make a pretty good looking body as do the wing feathers.

  5. The breast feathers of a goose make a good looking mosquito.

This list could be expanded to include many more usages. Let your imagination wonder.

Have fun.

Tim Anderson

3

I’ll second Panman’s suggestions, I keep and use everything. Remember alot of patterns were changed or “invented” becasue the tier used what was on hand. Sounds like you’ve got a good thing going!

4

Don: Here are two patterns. The black buster’s tail is from a gadwall, which is a species of duck. The other fly has resulted in several nice rainbows for me. Tim

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/ … Buster.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v610/ … sGoose.jpg