Folded quill winged wet flies

[Boarmountain]

That will work just as well as a matched slip wing. Good looking fly!

[tie2fish]

Can't imagine those not working; great tying for someone that old .

[Mike62]

I've been folding my wings forever because the whole 'matching slip' thing has always escaped me. All these years of practice and I still can't match what you apparently just sat down and pulled off at a single setting. Those flies are sublime, seriously. I made myself feel like a second class tier for years because I've had to make concessions to time honored methods that are simply above my pay grade. Folding my wings was one such concession.

...I don't feel so bad anymore. Thank you.

[Old Hat]

Those turned out excellent! I love the looks of the whole pattern.

The only time I do a matched slip is with feathers that are a little more structured or (stiff). Any of the softer feathers used for wing I much prefer folding. On the smaller flies, folding is the way to go. Many of the older and smaller patterns that were winged had their wings made by folding twice and then split which is how I do all the wings on small flies especially the ones that use soft fibers like starling. You see this more on traditional spiders where the fly retains a more simplistic and sparse appearance.

These would look very nice in the Secret Santa Swap!

[upstatetrout]

Try it with barred wood duck or teal or bronzed mallard.



Tom

[upstatetrout]

John try using a wider slip and folding twice. Ive even seen it done folding 3 times on a large fly.

Tom

[Theroe]

John
Glad to hear of your success with the folded wing. For me, it sounds odd that so many haven’t used nor heard of the folded wing: this method is a staple of eastern Pennsylvania tyers. Actually, this is the first winging method Ivan taught me. It works excellent with the “forward and split technique as well.

PS - I put a package in the mail for you, you should be receiving it in a day or two.

Dana

[upstatetrout]

Thank you very much for the kind words John. It was great fun to be out west and tying at campfire lodge this past summer. On u tube look up Dave Brandt tying a Catskill style wing. His method is very good .Also there is wood duck and there is wood duck. We choose as per the pattern i.e. dark for a march brown and light as for a cahill. I hear that Narco now has the largest collection of wood duck in the free world so perhaps he should chime in.

Tom

[tie2fish]

Here's a good demo on split upright wood duck wings ..

https://vimeo.com/120367400

[upstatetrout]

I think the best Catskill style tiers tiers are Mike Valla,Dave Brandt,Mary Dette and Ed Van Put.

The very best ever was Walt Dette.
Rube Cross and the Darbees are right up there to.
Now that I am thinking about it David Stentrom and Niklas Dahlin from Europe are pretty good to. Oh hell there are a lot of people who are good at it.

Fly tying in my opinion does not qualify as art. An art form does not justify copying but fly tying is all about that i.e. patterns. It is a fine hobby and at best a craft. Oh well sorry for the rant back to reading the feather thief a fine read but nothing but rubbish.


Tom