Just got a tying kit, and have a question...

How do you do those darn wings?? I CAN NOT GET THEM! I seriously have tried it so many times... They're frustrating! My buggers arent lookin all that bad though... hmm..

Curtis

I highly suggest you take a class. I learned by books and even a video and my flies show it. Having someone show you in person is by far the best way to learn.

I agree with Loco_Dingo. Lessons are a way to go and that's why I only stick with the easy ones.

To cheap... dont want to pay.

Wouldnt even pay the full price for the kit! Had to talk the guy down $30! But he's a cool guy, I only go to him now for anything i need.

Curtis

In that case find a fly shop where they are willing to show you specific techniques, assuming you buy materials there. You could also join a flyfishing club.

This thread sucks...

If you are low on funds for a class, you can learn a lot from online videos and from trial and error (assuming you have a fast connection to stream video content). Watch a few of these videos and you will learn TONS if you are a newbie, simple stuff like whip finishing your fly and how to dub:
http://www.flycraftangling.com/flies_cur.html

There are lots of other free resources online (i.e. http://www.fishwithus.net/home.html). These are archived episodes of fly-fish tv from OLN, all episodes have a tying section at the end. They also have a low speed archive if you are dealing with dial-up.

I have only been tying since last December, and have been able to greatly improve my flies in a short time by practicing and soaking up all the info I can get online. My best advice is as follows: (I also got a "kit" to learn how to tie) -

1. Throw away the thick black thread they gave you as "tying thread" unless you want to use it for dental floss or maybe fly bodies. That stuff will give your flys the look of a drowned wool sweater. I can't even look at some of the beasts I cranked out in the early days, although I kept the first one as a joke to look at one day. In it's place, go buy some 6.0 tying thread. It is a ***** to work with at first because you will keep breaking it off on the hook point or when you try to tie knots, but eventually you will be able to tie up some sweet size 20 midges - god knows why anyone even wants to take the time to do so, unless you are dumb like me. And all the other flies you tie from here on out will look a LOT better. Keep some thicker, black waxed thread around for dubbing and fly bodies.

2. Wings: Leave more room in front of the wing than you think you need, so that you can wrap the hackle once or twice in front of it. Then tie a thread head to secure all the tag ends. Watch the videos I mentioned, they will tie in a variety of wings - copy their style.

Good luck dude, if you want to get help in person (lessons) I would do some more work on your own first...you will probably pick it up faster than you think. And if you still are looking for answers, just go ask someone who ties good flies and save the $$$$ from a formal lesson. A step by step fly tying book, (came with your kit?), will get you started as well.

What kind of wing are you trying to work with.

Hair
Hair divided dry
Hair post papa dry

Hair steamer
feather
feather streamer
full feather

The list is endless

Pick on and I may be able to help

Uh... one reason BBVD might be a little "cheap" is he's only about 15 or 16.

Not much spare change at that age.

I supplied him with a fur blender for use when he gets that far with his tying knowledge.

BBVD,

Patience and repetition are the keys to success. I might suggest... whatever type of wing your are placing, practice until you have it. This will probably be 20 dz or so attempts.

Like Speybum mentioned... there are unlimited possibilities of wings... What pattern are you working on? I am sure we can put you in the right direction.

A great website is: virtualflybox.com
Most all of the famous bubbas are on.... They all are very friendly and enjoy chatting with us normal folks... Heck, I even have a few patterns listed there.... GRHE Filoplume Prince, John's Glowing Midge, X Caddis. Carey Bugger.

Downriggin'

hey thanks for all the great info guys!

I've been trying to tie the leadwing coachmen, its pretty much the only wet fly besides streamers (if they count) in the book.

With Kaari and Sparkeys help though, I've almost got the woolly bugger down, to a point where I (as well as Karri) am sure it will at least catch planters.

Thanks again!

Curtis

The wet fly wing isn't that hard to master, but it does take practice.

With the wing, it is best to use non waxed thread. This will keep the wings from rolling over on top and splitting the fibers.

Place your wings proportionate and pinch them together on the forward portion of the hook shank. Bring the thread up through your thumb and facing wing. Make a soft loop over the top leaving about 1/8 inch of free thread and then back down through the aft wing and index finger. Do not tighten thread at this point. Bring the thread up and through the leading side again. This time, hold the bobbing straight over the fly and slowing tighten the loop by pulling up. Do not remove your "pinch" until wing is set.

Hope this makes sense to you.. It is a good method to learn- especially if you branch off to Steelie or Atlantic Salmon patterns.

If you're still having problems setting the wing, don't give up. Keep practicing...

A good material to substitute and speed things up: gray partridge. Just bunch a few fibers together, line up out the tips and tie on top.

Other than soft hackles, you'll be pressed to find many folks who still use a standard wet fly. Keep a few in your fly box for hard fished waters. It gives the fish something different to look at... One of the best days I ever had was at Rocky Ford with a Royal Coachman!

Downriggin' is a good flytyer and does some of the best spey flies I've seen (I don't get out much)... and was a good flyfisherman until he came over to the darkside and bought a downrigger.

The leadwing is an old style fly.... but still a good one. I find the duckwing is an attractant for trout as they don't see much of that anymore. A McGinty was another one I liked (before I went to the darkside also) as the secondary mallard it called for had a white splash on it. I had a theory back then that the white wings were also an attractant for trout.

The leadwing was the wet fly in my book! It doesnt even have the woolly bugger!

I think my book sucks.. Gonna have to buy one of those Fishermans Library books.