When tying a Stayner Ducktail streamer the pics always show a side view. I feel uncertain about how widely the flat wrapped flank feather barbs should be allowed to “splay out” across the top. Should they spread out widely or be confined into a tighter bunch? Comments please.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llWaJrHkwg8
At the end of the video the fly is rotated to see the wing
Might want to look at this one. http://www.stillwaterflyfisher.com/stayner-ducktail.html
Tim
I tie mine about the same as I do for this wire-bodied 88 Streamer
Regards,
Scott
Yup…
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P](http://s305.photobucket.com/user/planettrout/media/STREAMERS/STAYNERDUCKTAIL_zpsf89169fd.jpg.html)T/TB
Funny I came across this pattern in the “Northwoods Sporting Journal” a few years ago. Looked nice and now I have a video to watch.
Mike
I have mentioned in this and other forums several times that the Stayner Ducktail is the most effective warm water fly I have ever used. It is deadly, in various sizes and colors, on bass, crappie and bream, whether unweighted or with a lead underbody or a bead.
A couple of points, in my experience, when tying it:
The link to the video is good because it shows the width of the wing.
The SBS link is good because it recommends tying in the wing pointed over the eye. If not done this way, I have found the wing tends to pull out after a bite or two, no matter how securely you tie it in. A drop of super glue at the tie-in point helps, too.
I also recommend painting the underside of the mylar ribbing with super glue before you wrap it. Fish teeth tend to tear it and it will unravel.
Joe
Joe,
I’ve never had the wing pull out when tying it in with the feather laying back over the fly, but that’s probably because I don’t just strip the excess fibers off the quill; I trim the excess, leaving stubs for the thread to grab. Like you suggested, I also give it a good dose of Sally before completing the thread wraps.
I have tried tying them with the feather pointing forward but had trouble keeping the feather in alignment when I folded it back; mashing the stem with flat-jawed pliers prior to tie-in helped.
Regards,
Scott
Here is another reference from this site http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/lakes/part12.php
Joe,
What other colors/variations to the Stayner Ducktail do you use?
Mike
On the home page search section there is an interesting article on the Stayner Ducktail.
Tim
Mike,
I’ve used olive or tan or other color fibers for the tail and throat, and various colors of chenille and dubbing for the body. I’ve also tried different colors of mallard flank for the wing, but the most effective has always been Marv Taylor’s “blonde” version:
Hook: Mustad 9672, or 3XL equivalent. Sizes 6 - 14.
Thread: Black, 6/0 pre-waxed.
Tail: 10 to 15 orange saddle hackle fibers, body length.
Body: Yellow and dark olive variegated chenille, sizes medium or small.
Ribbing: Gold 16/18 mylar tinsel 4 or 5 wraps.
Beard: 10 to 15 orange saddle hackle fibers, reaching to hook point.
Wing: Woodduck dyed mallard flank feather, tied flat, reaching to end of tail.
Head: Black.
Adding a bead can help the action and get it a little deeper, but using chenille or a dubbing that soaks up water works just fine.
Scott,
I agree with the mallard being tough to deal with when tied in “reverse” style. I usually tie it in normally and fold the stem back on itself before tying it off and applying the glue.
Joe
So is there a general rule as to how wide the wing should be?
Bruce,
Don’t know about others, but I use gap width.
Regards,
Scott
I think a gap width is about right, too. The video shows about that size, I believe. I think the fly has a lot more action tying the feather in whole instead of a bundled fiber wing as some instructions have.
Joe
If. as suggested, wing Is tied on facing forward and then folded back for security how can you ever
get the feather to be wrapped around the hook shank In a “tent-like” manner?
Thanks Joe, I appreciate the info.
Mike
Ray,
If you tie it on facing forward, just make sure when you fold it backward you are not re-tying the feather down on bare stem. Strip the feather appropriately so that there are a few fibers on both sides of the stem at the re-tying spot.
Scott is right, though. Tying it facing forward can be a real pain.
Mike,
It’s a great fly. Fun to tie and it works.
Joe
I tied a half-dozen for a buddy without ever seeing one except for in a photo. I tie mine too wide I guess.
I was thinking about the width of the wing last night. I haven’t tied any in over a year so I’d kind of forgotten. I never paid a lot of attention to the width because, after stripping the fluff, I initially would tie them in too long and then pull the feather to the correct length. The width took care of itself. I know the size of the feather will make a difference as to the width, but my main problem in choosing a flank feather was finding one that didn’t have too much of a curve in the stem. Now THAT will make the fly look bad. Don’t know about the effectiveness, but it looks funny.
Joe