About 20 years or so ago I read an article in either Flyfisherman Magazine or Fly Rod and Reel Magazine or some other fly fishing magazine about a neat way to tie quill wing caddis flies that don't fall apart after a fish or two. This is the last of the articles that I've seen about this style of tying.
Let's face it, those old enough to remember the battle with quill wings (the style hasn't really carried into the new generation that much)remember how the wing would separate quickly. There was a solution with spray adhesives that didn't really work too well. This method works!
Take a turkey feather (used in the photo)and place it on a table face side down. Take some CLEAR scotch tape and stick it to the under side of the feather. Then cut out the taped feather segment that you want to use in the shape that you want. Then start tying your caddis or alder pattern on the hook size that you want. I use a buggy body with a darker thorax (check the photo again) and will add antennae on for suitable patterns. Sometimes I use a clipped palmered body under that quill tent but not often. I a week or two we will see a billion caddis on every bush bordering the Millers. This fly looks like those caddis. It looks like other caddis too. Try it out!!
The Millers - Toooo high
The EB - Toooo high
The Swift - just right!!!
Ken
9 comments:
I noticed two deer feet on the cement barriers near the power lines. Something wasn't practicing catch and release!
Ken
Nice tie Ken! Really like the wing. Is it a good floater?
Thanks-Cliff
You could also brush light super glue, zap-a-gap or the new UV Products such as Clear Cure Goo on the back of your wing. Looks much like my caddis patterns I tie brushed with zap-a-gap
Cliff,
It's a good floater with a buggy body.
Ken
Tony,
All of that stuff works. Like I said adhesives, in the past, somewhat did the job. Clear tape beats them all. No mess, no drying time and you can tape up a whole turkey feather if you want very quickly.
Ken
How does tape stay on in water?
Anonymous,
The tape works fine!!
Ken
I saw that deer in the woods on the east side of the river last week.
Fishing has been so slow, even in stocked rivers. I have been to the Stillwater/Quinnepoxet twice this week and usually it would be double digit days.
I found the Swift fairly dead the last time I went. Has it picked up at all? I bet last nights ice storm didn't help.
Falsecast,
Fishing around the PIPE has been better. Above RT 9 not so much. This will change after last nights snow and cold wind of today. My other rivers are blown out. More on that with the next post from me.
Ken
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