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To wing or not to wing ...



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 6th, 2008, 02:19 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
Ken Fortenberry[_2_]
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Posts: 1,851
Default To wing or not to wing ...

that is the question.

I've almost convinced myself that mayfly dun imitations
don't really need wings. I say almost because my evidence
is purely anecdotal. A proper experiment is nigh on
impossible to conduct and besides who'd want to waste
the fishing time ?

I've tied them up both ways, with wings and without and
so far as I can tell the catch rate is about the same.

Anybody want to convince me that I should spend the extra
few minutes per fly to tie in wings ?

--
Ken Fortenberry
  #2  
Old August 6th, 2008, 02:35 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
Tom Littleton
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Posts: 1,741
Default To wing or not to wing ...


"Ken Fortenberry" wrote in message
...
that is the question.

I've almost convinced myself that mayfly dun imitations
don't really need wings. I say almost because my evidence
is purely anecdotal. A proper experiment is nigh on
impossible to conduct and besides who'd want to waste
the fishing time ?

I've tied them up both ways, with wings and without and
so far as I can tell the catch rate is about the same.

Anybody want to convince me that I should spend the extra
few minutes per fly to tie in wings ?


my take on this.....wings are frequently of no imitative use on standard,
hackled mayfly imitations. The hackle serves as an impressionistic wing,
whenever a full circle hackle is used. On SOME flies, a dark, prominent wing
seems to be a needed addition. Examples here in the East would be
the later BWOs, some of the sulfurs(I am thinking especially of the Rotundas
on Big Fishing Creek which have very dark wings). Now, in these cases, I am
talking about necessity for imitative purposes. The other purpose of a
standard wing is for proper cocking of the fly, and here, there may be some
debate.
Now, when you veer away from hackled designs, the wing is often integral to
the design, so I figure you weren't referring to those types.
Tom


  #3  
Old August 6th, 2008, 02:40 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
Scott Seidman
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Posts: 1,037
Default To wing or not to wing ...

"Tom Littleton" wrote in
news:tMhmk.279$EL2.192@trnddc01:

Now, when you veer away from hackled designs, the wing is often
integral to the design, so I figure you weren't referring to those
types.
Tom


What percentage of the flies you fish these days, Tom, are traditionally
hackled?? For me, it seems to be less and less every year.

--
Scott
Reverse name to reply
  #4  
Old August 6th, 2008, 02:58 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
Tom Littleton
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Posts: 1,741
Default To wing or not to wing ...


"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
What percentage of the flies you fish these days, Tom, are traditionally
hackled?? For me, it seems to be less and less every year.


Interestingly, I just had this discussion recently on another board.....I
still probably fish Catskill Dries for about half of my surface angling
during mayfly hatches. No other fly can be made to move along the surface
like a hackled fly, and mayfly duns DO move....frequently, on the streams I
fish, the movement is clearly the trigger for the waiting trout. CDC is in
vogue(sort of humorous, I first read about this 'hot' material back in
1978), but my experience indicates a need for mayfly imitations at the
subsurface,
in-the-film, and high floating levels.
Tom


  #5  
Old August 6th, 2008, 03:04 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
Scott Seidman
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Posts: 1,037
Default To wing or not to wing ...

"Tom Littleton" wrote in
news:r6imk.300$_H1.279@trnddc05:


"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...
What percentage of the flies you fish these days, Tom, are
traditionally hackled?? For me, it seems to be less and less every
year.


Interestingly, I just had this discussion recently on another
board.....I still probably fish Catskill Dries for about half of my
surface angling during mayfly hatches. No other fly can be made to
move along the surface like a hackled fly, and mayfly duns DO
move....frequently, on the streams I fish, the movement is clearly the
trigger for the waiting trout. CDC is in vogue(sort of humorous, I
first read about this 'hot' material back in 1978), but my experience
indicates a need for mayfly imitations at the subsurface,
in-the-film, and high floating levels.
Tom




I tie and use in a variety of styles, keeping how the fly sits on the
film in mind. When things aren't working so well, I'll change these
options. I used to go from a Catskill tie to something that sits lower
on the water, these days I tend to reverse that, and some of the low
sitting flies sit so well that I never get around to the high-sitting
flies (though, in fairness, I don't fish particularly fast or rough
water).

Our local sulphur is a Catskill tie, with the bottom hackles trimmed off.
I'll often put these into the fly box intact, and trim them on the water
if I'm in the mood.



--
Scott
Reverse name to reply
  #6  
Old August 6th, 2008, 11:07 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
Tim Lysyk
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Posts: 179
Default To wing or not to wing ...

Ken Fortenberry wrote:
that is the question.

I've almost convinced myself that mayfly dun imitations
don't really need wings. I say almost because my evidence
is purely anecdotal. A proper experiment is nigh on
impossible to conduct and besides who'd want to waste
the fishing time ?

I've tied them up both ways, with wings and without and
so far as I can tell the catch rate is about the same.

Anybody want to convince me that I should spend the extra
few minutes per fly to tie in wings ?


I find wings can add some needed visibility for the angler, especially
when there is lots of glare. I like thorax patterns as these are easy to
tie. I don't think the fish really care.

Tim Lysyk
  #7  
Old August 8th, 2008, 04:08 AM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
vincent norris
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Posts: 39
Default To wing or not to wing ...

I've tied them up both ways, with wings and without and
so far as I can tell the catch rate is about the same.


Vince Marinaro emphasized the importance of wings, but George Harvey said
they make no difference.

Your choice.

vince


  #8  
Old August 9th, 2008, 07:28 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default To wing or not to wing ...

On Aug 6, 2:58 pm, "Tom Littleton" wrote:
"Scott Seidman" wrote in message

. 1.4...

What percentage of the flies you fish these days, Tom, are traditionally
hackled?? For me, it seems to be less and less every year.


Interestingly, I just had this discussion recently on another board.....I
still probably fish Catskill Dries for about half of my surface angling
during mayfly hatches. No other fly can be made to move along the surface
like a hackled fly, and mayfly duns DO move....frequently, on the streams I
fish, the movement is clearly the trigger for the waiting trout. CDC is in
vogue(sort of humorous, I first read about this 'hot' material back in
1978), but my experience indicates a need for mayfly imitations at the
subsurface,
in-the-film, and high floating levels.
Tom


Interesting that you mention mayfly hatches. I have just written an
article in my a
href-http://www.troutlures.infotrout lures /a blog talking about
two guys who used grasshoppers as trout lures in quite an interesting
way,
  #9  
Old August 9th, 2008, 11:25 PM posted to rec.outdoors.fishing.fly.tying
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 26
Default To wing or not to wing ...

On Sat, 9 Aug 2008 11:28:43 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Aug 6, 2:58 pm, "Tom Littleton" wrote:
"Scott Seidman" wrote in message

. 1.4...

What percentage of the flies you fish these days, Tom, are traditionally
hackled?? For me, it seems to be less and less every year.


Interestingly, I just had this discussion recently on another board.....I
still probably fish Catskill Dries for about half of my surface angling
during mayfly hatches. No other fly can be made to move along the surface
like a hackled fly, and mayfly duns DO move....frequently, on the streams I
fish, the movement is clearly the trigger for the waiting trout. CDC is in
vogue(sort of humorous, I first read about this 'hot' material back in
1978), but my experience indicates a need for mayfly imitations at the
subsurface,
in-the-film, and high floating levels.
Tom


Interesting that you mention mayfly hatches. I have just written an
article in my a
href-http://www.troutlures.infotrout lures /a blog talking about
two guys who used grasshoppers as trout lures in quite an interesting
way,


.... using a hooked hopper as a "trout lure" probably dates back to
three minutes after the invention of the hook......
 




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