Connemara Black

[GlassJet]

Very nice...a question for y'all, though: I know it doesn't make sense to obsess over making inherently impressionistic flies "anatomically correct" but I've always wondered what the thinking was behind the woodduck wing, say, on a Quill Gordon wet or the bronze mallard on this example. Wings unfurling behind an emerging adult? A spent husk? Or just a bit o' flutter and contrast that lights up the "must be food" synapses in a pea-sized, piscine brain?

CreationBear,
I found myself wondering the very same thing when tying this fly. I haven't used the bronze mallard before, but it is beautifully soft. When I've tied wings before, (not often, admittedly) on spider patterns, the wing slip has been quite substantial, and i imagine it holding its shape in the water, presenting a more 'solid' profile, if that makes sense.

In the case of this fly though, I suspect the whole thing just blends in to the overall effect in the water, wafting around enticingly for the fish. So not a 'wing', or not in the sense I understand it.

Or maybe this is just a vain attempt to get away with posting 'winged' flies on this board...

They are beautiful patterns though, hoping to get time to have another go today, get that head right.

Andrew.

[CreationBear]

Andrew-- Ha....I wonder how you say, "just looks buggy" in Latin? Between the vagaries of motion and light absorption underwater, that might not be far off.

BTW, it was torture riding the train between Glasgow and London last summer and seeing your part of the world passing by in the distance: lucky I didn't break the glass with my forehead.

[tie2fish]

Cookshill packages blue jay wings in pairs. I'm sure there are other U.S. sources for these, but the only one I'm familiar with is Great Feathers.

[GlassJet]

Andrew-- Ha....I wonder how you say, "just looks buggy" in Latin?

Now just how clever would I have looked if I could have answered that? Oh the missed opportunities...

BTW, it was torture riding the train between Glasgow and London last summer and seeing your part of the world passing by in the distance: lucky I didn't break the glass with my forehead.

It's not bad, is it? But I'm still going to manage to tear myself away next week, off to Ireland again.

Andrew.

[GlassJet]

Had another go at this:


Connemara Black 2 by GlassJet, on Flickr

Wing a bit dodgy this time! Malone recommends giving the feather a quick blast with artists' fixativespray before folding the wing, and I think that might help. It's on the shopping list anyway.

Andrew.

[skunkaroo]

The second one came out a bit better head-wise--very nice.

Folded (or rolled) mallard can be a bit of a bugger. You've done a good job of it both in versions one and two, but it takes a bit of practice to get consistent with it (particular the "bronze" mallard as the tips don't marry well). I find that if I take a section of fibres from the stem it's best to even the tips before cutting or tearing. Once separated I fold the complete section in half, and fold in half again, ending up with a fairly workable little wing section--no need for fixative really. Just position and secure upright with a soft or pinch loop.

You asked about the blue dyed partridge as a sub for Jay. It's used frequently as such, but by dying a white/cream hen or a light coloured one with blackish tips, you would get something closer to the real thing. I use jay body feathers (very fragile) on some of my patterns, but the hen is easier to use and more robust.

Aaron

[GlassJet]

Hi Aaron,
The wing is actually dodgier than it looks in the photograph in the second version - but the head came out better.

Somebody told me that hairspray works as well as the artists' fixative, so i gave it a go this evening (let's get this straight, I borrowed it!) and it did help, folding in thirds as Malone says to do.

Your half then half again sounds like it might be more manageable. Will give that a go.

They are great fun though - thanks for the tips, Aaron

andrew.

[skunkaroo]

Somebody told me that hairspray works as well as the artists' fixative, so i gave it a go this evening (let's get this straight, I borrowed it!) and it did help, folding in thirds as Malone says to do.

Folding in thirds is probably more traditional but quarters is more manageable. I use a folded wing a lot on a "rolled muddler" streamer pattern we use in BC--I used to hate tying them until I figured out the folding trick.

I like the idea of hairspray over fixative--at least the hair spray will eventually wash out

Aaron

[GlassJet]

I like the idea of hairspray over fixative--at least the hair spray will eventually wash out

Aaron

it even combs out - with a bit of velcro...