Meskel
01-13-2006, 11:26 PM
This is actually an illustration of how to tie a wing rather then a certain pattern. These “Wonder Wings” can be slightly altered to produce an array of flies. For today’s purpose I will be demonstrating the Wonder Wing technique while tying an Adams.
As far back as I can find this style of wing came out of Europe sometime in the late 80s. The instructions that fallow are thanks in part to Al & Gretchen Beatty and a few years of tinkering with a design to make it what it is today. I also believe this pattern originally appeared in the April 2005 issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine, though I have not seen that article.
Materials for the Wonder Wing
Hook: Size 10 to 24, standard dry fly
Thread: Black
Tail: Grizzly hackle fibers
Body: Rusty Orange Rabbit Dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly
Head: Thread
Note: For this illustration I am using a size 10 hook to make it easier to see. Normally I would tie this pattern in a size 16. The color of the body was the choice of the fish on the river where I live.
Tying Instructions:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/212.jpg
First pinch down the barb of the hook (if you have seen the video of a barbed fly being removed from someone’s cornea you already do this) and if you don’t you should. Start a thread base that extends from the eye, half way back the hooks shank. Pick out several grizzly hackle fibers – roughly the length of the hook- and tie them to the bare shank of the hook. This allows the fibers to extend out without being pulled down.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/39.jpg
Building the Wonder Wing is a two part process. First pair up two large grizzly hackle fibers, back to back, so that they are curving away from each other. Cut the heavy parts off the stem(roughly a third of the way up) and then sweep back the fibers(as shown above). The amount of fibers depends on the size of the wings you desire. Note: it is easy to shorten wings once they are tied in. It is not so easy to make them bigger.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/48.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/54.jpg
Next tie the swept back fibers using a few snug (not tight) thread raps all the time keeping control of those swept back fibers for the next step. Notice that the wing is relatively small at this time. With the right hand gently pull the wings out and up to the desired length, always keeping control of loose fibers with the left hand.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/63.jpg
Now pinch the wings in this standing position with the left hand and tighten the previous raps and add a few more in front and behind the base. Now cut off the excess ends of the wings and set them aside for the next set of wings. Do a simple crisscross wrap between the wings to separate them and then rap the thread back to the tail.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/71.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/81.jpg
Now we place the dubbing on the thread and rap it forward to just in front of the wings. Strip the fuzzy material from the stem at the base of a grizzly hackle and tie it in just behind the wing. Apply another small amount of dubbing to the thread and wrap to cover the stem tie in, working your way to the eye of the hook.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/93.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/last.jpg
Finally wrap the hackle forward to meet the thread, tie it off and trim the wasted ends. Then simply whip finish the head, cut the thread, and add a few drops of cement to finish.
Again the wing tied in this manner can be used for numerous patterns for example a Green Drake, Addams and another I found effective the mosquito. On the mosquito I use just the thread for the body and keep the wings small. Tie it on a three weight and you are set for some small river fun.
If you find the wings are too big when you have finished the fly simply hold the wings together and evenly snip the tops of the stems. This will flair out the fibers cut, while lowering the wing level. Then just carefully snip the loose ends (the fibers you just cut) enough to hide them in the hackle.
Like I said before you can make some simple changes to the Wonder Wing "tie in" and come up with both a caddis pattern and an Adams post as shown below.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/caddis.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/poast.jpg
There is some debate as to weather wings on flies are for the fish or the one fishing. While these wings look great to the one holding the rod the silhouette of these wings are believed to be vary realistic looking to the fish because the veins in the wings are highlighted. And for now the popular theory is that the fish do see the wings.
Another bonus to these wings are that they utilize the large sections of the rooster cape that is left from the pieces used for the smaller hackle.
I hope that you enjoy tying with these “Wonder Wings” and even better yet catching fish with them. I will gladly do my best at fielding any questions you may have.
Thanks for taking the time to look this over
Meskel
As far back as I can find this style of wing came out of Europe sometime in the late 80s. The instructions that fallow are thanks in part to Al & Gretchen Beatty and a few years of tinkering with a design to make it what it is today. I also believe this pattern originally appeared in the April 2005 issue of Salmon Trout Steelheader magazine, though I have not seen that article.
Materials for the Wonder Wing
Hook: Size 10 to 24, standard dry fly
Thread: Black
Tail: Grizzly hackle fibers
Body: Rusty Orange Rabbit Dubbing
Hackle: Grizzly
Head: Thread
Note: For this illustration I am using a size 10 hook to make it easier to see. Normally I would tie this pattern in a size 16. The color of the body was the choice of the fish on the river where I live.
Tying Instructions:
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/212.jpg
First pinch down the barb of the hook (if you have seen the video of a barbed fly being removed from someone’s cornea you already do this) and if you don’t you should. Start a thread base that extends from the eye, half way back the hooks shank. Pick out several grizzly hackle fibers – roughly the length of the hook- and tie them to the bare shank of the hook. This allows the fibers to extend out without being pulled down.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/39.jpg
Building the Wonder Wing is a two part process. First pair up two large grizzly hackle fibers, back to back, so that they are curving away from each other. Cut the heavy parts off the stem(roughly a third of the way up) and then sweep back the fibers(as shown above). The amount of fibers depends on the size of the wings you desire. Note: it is easy to shorten wings once they are tied in. It is not so easy to make them bigger.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/48.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/54.jpg
Next tie the swept back fibers using a few snug (not tight) thread raps all the time keeping control of those swept back fibers for the next step. Notice that the wing is relatively small at this time. With the right hand gently pull the wings out and up to the desired length, always keeping control of loose fibers with the left hand.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/63.jpg
Now pinch the wings in this standing position with the left hand and tighten the previous raps and add a few more in front and behind the base. Now cut off the excess ends of the wings and set them aside for the next set of wings. Do a simple crisscross wrap between the wings to separate them and then rap the thread back to the tail.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/71.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/81.jpg
Now we place the dubbing on the thread and rap it forward to just in front of the wings. Strip the fuzzy material from the stem at the base of a grizzly hackle and tie it in just behind the wing. Apply another small amount of dubbing to the thread and wrap to cover the stem tie in, working your way to the eye of the hook.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/93.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/last.jpg
Finally wrap the hackle forward to meet the thread, tie it off and trim the wasted ends. Then simply whip finish the head, cut the thread, and add a few drops of cement to finish.
Again the wing tied in this manner can be used for numerous patterns for example a Green Drake, Addams and another I found effective the mosquito. On the mosquito I use just the thread for the body and keep the wings small. Tie it on a three weight and you are set for some small river fun.
If you find the wings are too big when you have finished the fly simply hold the wings together and evenly snip the tops of the stems. This will flair out the fibers cut, while lowering the wing level. Then just carefully snip the loose ends (the fibers you just cut) enough to hide them in the hackle.
Like I said before you can make some simple changes to the Wonder Wing "tie in" and come up with both a caddis pattern and an Adams post as shown below.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/caddis.jpg http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/poast.jpg
There is some debate as to weather wings on flies are for the fish or the one fishing. While these wings look great to the one holding the rod the silhouette of these wings are believed to be vary realistic looking to the fish because the veins in the wings are highlighted. And for now the popular theory is that the fish do see the wings.
Another bonus to these wings are that they utilize the large sections of the rooster cape that is left from the pieces used for the smaller hackle.
I hope that you enjoy tying with these “Wonder Wings” and even better yet catching fish with them. I will gladly do my best at fielding any questions you may have.
Thanks for taking the time to look this over
Meskel