Down the years I have seen trout that would not take live duns unless
they moved their wings, others that have followed a natural downstream
for many feet, not rising until the natural moved its wings. So if you
could get an artificial to move those wings they would be invaluable but
otherwise? Marinaro (I think) claimed to have done an experiment where
he removed the wings from twenty naturals and they were all refused but
twenty with wings were taken. Nonetheless, I haven't tied a split-wing
mayfly for fishing in years. At one time wings were considered necessary
to have the fly land correctly, a non-problem with parachutes or other
designs. Besides, when duns float down the current they do so with their
wings together and oriented in random ways. I believe after many trials
and observations that none of our patterns properly imitate duns,
instead they mimic emergers, stillborns and cripples---no one could
claim that a Comparadun even remotely resembles a dun, yet it is very
successful.
Cheers,
Paul
--
Paul Marriner
Outdoor Writing & Photography. Member OWAA & OWC. Author of Atlantic
Salmon, Ausable River Journal, Miramichi River Journal, and Modern
Atlantic Salmon Flies.
