I have a question for anyone who ties flies (for fishing)

[QuailRaiser]

I type flies for a fly shop on weekends and so I've never used anything but head cement... never thought of nail polish.. anyways I've tried making a clouser minnow with dog hair... a lot less expensive than polar bear..

 

[2chick]

I'm curious as to exactly which feathers from the bird are most frequently or easily used by those tying their own flies?
o the shiny
I have a million hobbies but I'll be adding tying flies and fly fishing to them soon. The main source of my curiosity is what feathers of what color do people have luck with? I'm a lifelong fisherman so I'm aware that seasons, temperatures, water level, etc. will all affect what lures will work best on a given day. I'm just looking for some insight from anyone with personal experience tying.

I personally like using the tails off the roos (chicken) because when its dawn or evening, because they are attracted the shiny feathers when they really see cant really see anything.I have lots of luck with smallmouth bass like that

 

[2chick]

and also i sometimes put a little glitter on the feathers which seem to attract them more. i catch big bass with those big long feathers!

 

[Sill]

I am butting in here as much to subscribe as anything else.

I just saved what I could of the hackle and saddle of my first butchered chicken, dried the skin stretched on a board with salt. A week now and no flies or smell. I am rather impressed, except it looks NOTHING like the rooster necks in the bait shops... Now it's my turn to try to set up a tying station. I tied a jig from some yarn last year and someone at fish camp caught at 23 lb King salmon on it, she also claims it is lucky and kept it. (Doh!) Time for me to get tying. These are from a silver laced wyandotte, but I may also try the kool aid dye method. (Google it, there is even a color chart by flavor!)

I want to try to make something from my golden pheasants' cowl feathers. They almost look like a dragon fly, without doing anything to them, but I think that might be better for bass and pan fish than for salmon.

Can you explain more how you did this? How do you harvest the feathers once it's dried? Cut them off or pull them?

I'd love to see more examples of flies people have tied.

 

[QuailRaiser]

sure, I can do an example of a rooster streamer, or a scud, etc... any requests?

 

[Quail Jailer]

sure, I can do an example of a rooster streamer, or a scud, etc... any requests?

Ship in a bottle?


(just kidding of course, obviously you've been doing this quite a while)

 

[QuailRaiser]

Haha only 8 years.. constantly trying new recepies.. the fly shop currently stocks 8 of my flies... hehe.. although to tell the truth I still can't master an elk hair caddis

 

[LavLady]

Can you explain more how you did this? How do you harvest the feathers once it's dried?  Cut them off or pull them?

I'd love to see more examples of flies people have tied.

I skinned the rooster, then stretched the skin feather side down on a piece of plywood, using nails. Then I pulled the stretched hide up off the plywood to the head of the nail so that there would be airflow to the feathers. I dumped a ton of salt on the fleshy side of the skin and let it dry. The instructions said a week was good but I left it for two weeks. I have not yet used the feathers. The article I read mentioned that salt curing (vs. Borax) helps the feathers take dye better. My next step will be dying the feathers, then another stretch/salt, then finally I can try tying something... I will probably post a thread once I have pictures from start to finish.

sure, I can do an example of a rooster streamer, or a scud, etc... any requests?

All of the above, please? I want to bass fish because I lack patience, and I like to see the fish take the bait. (I don't even have a fly rod yet, and have never flyfished, but I love casting with wobblers for salmon, so I am sure I will enjoy flyfishing.)

 

[Dragons4u]

Salt preserving does make it easier to dye, but the hide wont preserve as long as if it were tanned. Which is ok if you are using the feathers off of it. Just have to be sure the salt doesn't contain iodine.
Borax is what I normally use for thin skinned animals if I'm going to taxidermy them.

 

[QuailRaiser]

Hey all, I finally got down to the flyshop today, later (ish) i'm gonna sit down and tie some more up... I'll post a couple recepies and just some random pics..