Not quite, The wing tips are tied in by the stems with the tips out over
the hook eye. Length is about 1 1/4 times the length of the shank. These
are not cut to shape unless you might be using a wing cutter. I normally
tie in the tail first. it would be the shank length. Make smooth wraps
over the tail material to the thorax area or hook eye. It can be done
either way. You should have a thread base where you are going to tie in
the wings. I don't want to complicate things but I now tie in the hackle
and leave it out of the way, then I tie in the wings as above. The
stripped stem ends are tied in facing the tail. Make smooth wraps over
the stem ends back up to where the wings will be upright at the thorax,
Lift the wings and form a thread dam in front of the wings to make them
stand up. Divide them with X or Figure 8 wraps to spread them apart.
Post the wings as I mentioned in the last message. Now bring the thread
back to the tail, tie in body material, bring the thread back up to the
thorax just behind the wings. Wrap the body and the rib if used and tie
off behind the wings. The hackle is already tied in so bring the thread
up to the eye, wrap a couple of turns of hackle behind the wings,
several in front of the wing and tie off. Having the hackle tied in like
it was, makes for a nice clean tie off at the hook eye. No tie in hackle
bump Now about the hackle. I have mentioned this several times in the
past so it might be old to some on the list. Find the SWEET part of the
hackle before tying it in. Take the hackle by the tip and butt end of
the stem. Form an upside down "U" and work the stem around the bend of
the "U". You will see where the "U" becomes a lot narrower. It will
almost "jump" at that point. Only use the hackle from that narrow point
to the tip. The rest is trash. A lot of new tyers will try to use the
whole hackle and end discarding the best part near the tip.
There are still other ways, it is how I do it.
This is more that you asked for, I hope it will help you tie a better
dry fly.
Tony
Chuck Alexander wrote:
Tony, I see, so you are leaving the quill portion intact???? and sewing in
the matching pair of "wings"????? Then, do you just trim the wings to size
and/or shape??? Thanks, Chuck
Chuck,
The wings are not Biots, on the original they were Fan Wings made from
small breast feathers. Now a days most use synthetic materials like Poly
Yarn or Antron. The wings can also be made from tips of neck hackles.
Tie them in with the tips out beyond the eye of the hook. Then lift the
tips and build a dam of thread in front of the tie in point. This will
keep the wings upright, separate the feather tips ,left and right and
post the base of each feather. By posting that means wrapping thread
around the base of each feather to keep them separated. Do this before
dubbing or wrapping the body. There is a lot more that can be done, that
is just the basic part of it.
Tony
Chuck Alexander wrote:
