Re: [VFB] Mayfly Wing Dilemma

[mark romero]

Scott, there are two ways you can do it, both involve putting the wing on 
first. THAT is the first thing you do on that fly. Always wing a Mayfly 
FIRST! The only thing different about the two methods is that with one, you 
use two feathers, and with the other you only use one. Since you stated your 
using a size 12 hook, you'll have to decide. I might use two. Size 12 is 
right where you have to decide. I would normally use one feather for 
anything smaller than a sizre 12, and two for 12 and above. You DO NOT EVER 
leave any stem in the wing when you tye it in/on. You want only barbs. And i 
never trim anything out. That's an old method, i find unessesary. With the 
two feather method it sure isn't nessesary and with the single 
feather......i find that, if you cut your wing out right there's again no 
need. Meaning if you have only what you need and no more (stem). Tie the 
wing material in, with the tips pointing out over the eye. Make sure it's 
secure. Lift the wing up and do as many wraps as needed and no more to get 
it standing up. And that does NOT mean making a huge damm in front of the 
wing. It means tucking each wrap tightly back into/under the materials until 
the wing will stand up the way you want it. You WILL have to do a few 
directly in front of of the wing in what would, (if you over did it), appere 
to be a damm. Don't do that. The idea is to keep your fly as sparse as you 
can, at least until you hackle it. When you go to hackle it, well that's up 
to you. But keep your wraps down to a minimum, (while also making a durable 
fly) as much as you can. That's the goal. Don't crowd you eye, and leave it 
clean up there. Tye your wing in about one third the way back on the hook 
shank. That should give you plenty of room to work. Trim your wing butts at 
a slant, comming in with your sissors from the rear of the hook. And trim 
the butts of your tail to meet with the butts of the wing, and help you to 
form a perfect taper to the body. Once your wing is tyed in securly, you 
will have to divide it if it's a single feather, and if you used two 
feathers, you should of gathered the materials in you fingers with the 
feathers front to front, so they will be natrually divided. Use your bodkin 
to divide the single feather wing. Figure 8 the left and right materials, 
and post both sides of the wings also. This helps in durablility. Keep your 
wings at say 10 and 2 o'clock and your fly will look great. Good luck, get 
back to me as to how it went. mark..........


From: "J&A Burbank" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [VFB] Mayfly Wing Dilemma
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 09:26:23 -0800
Scott,
 Look a little closer at the picture, there are two identical wings, one
curves slightly to each side of the fly. They are both hand cut from 
mallard
flank and then tied upright. Lots of work but produce a very nice wing. 
Just
leave enough stem at the bottom of each to tie them to the hook shank. I
hold them at about 45 degree angle and tie them in then I wrap in front of
them several times to hold them up straight. It's really not all that
difficult once you've done a couple.

Hope this helps a little.

Jim

----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 8:46 AM
Subject: [VFB] Mayfly Wing Dilemma
> Hello everyone
> Calling all VFB'ers, Calling all VFB'ers come in, come in, beginner tyer
> has Mayfly wing dilemma Can you help???????. CAR 51 CAR 51 come in come
> in........
> Howdy Gang, well here it is let me set the stage for the question.
> I am currently in Jeff Frye's Mega Mayfly swap and I am tying my own
> pattern, I call it a Brown Bomber, it is a cross between a Lucca's foam
> Hex spinner, and a Dark Hedrickson, It has the Tail of the foam hex
> spinner and body, head and wings of the Dark Hedrickson. I have
> everything selected as far as materials go, the material list
> is................
> HOOK- #12 Dry fly 94840
> THREAD- 8/0 black
> TAIL- 2 pcs. of peccary and foam (painted brown with paint pen)
> BODY- Brown dubbing
> HACKLE -2 Bicolor hackle black and reddish brown
> WING - Died ginger wood dock flank feather
> My dilemma has to do with how do I secure the wing or wings on. Do I tye
> on 2 separate wings using 2 flanks or split one flank and stand them up.
> Also do I tye on the wing first or spin the hackle first. I received a
> JPEG from Jim Burbank showing also a single mallard feather cut and
> trimmed and tied to stand up. I am really not sure what to do, Any
> suggestions?. If I tie 2 wings how on earth do you secure them to stay 
in
> place. I remember a thread last year between Joyce and DonO on this, but
> now as I reach 40  that's all I can do is just remember it came up. Ok
> enough for now..........
> Scott Crosby.........(Wanna be Mayfly tier)
>
>
>


_________________________________________________________________
Take off on a romantic weekend or a family adventure to these great U.S. 
locations. http://special.msn.com/local/hotdestinations.armx