Oenophileangler 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 Been lurking here for a while. Tying for about a year, and improving daily. Posts here have helped a lot! Thanks! I have been having trouble with the durability of mottled turkey wings for my Schroeder's Parachute Caddis. I'm tying them small (18 to 22), which probably makes them less durable. The wings fray and become fibers after a fish or two. They can still catch fish after fraying, but I want them to stay intact. I have read that one can use Softex, but I'd rather avoid using this stuff. I read that Softex is pretty fume-y. I have asthma and my wife is pretty sensitive to smells. I am about to try using some Loon UV Flow to see if that might help (I guess I should just try it!). Just wondering what others use? Dale Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oenophileangler 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 Wow, since I only have one post, I'm a Bait Fisherman! I could be insulted, but it's how I learned to fish. Dale Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
niveker 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 I don't use anything. I've found they still fray even with a coating of head cement or other fixatives (though I have never used Loon UV Flow), so its not worth the trouble to me, and as you said, they still catch fish. Welcome to the site. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 7 hours ago, Oenophileangler said: Wow, since I only have one post, I'm a Bait Fisherman! I could be insulted, but it's how I learned to fish. Dale everybody goes through that phase until you reach a certain number of posts 7 hours ago, Oenophileangler said: Been lurking here for a while. Tying for about a year, and improving daily. Posts here have helped a lot! Thanks! I have been having trouble with the durability of mottled turkey wings for my Schroeder's Parachute Caddis. I'm tying them small (18 to 22), which probably makes them less durable. The wings fray and become fibers after a fish or two. They can still catch fish after fraying, but I want them to stay intact. I have read that one can use Softex, but I'd rather avoid using this stuff. I read that Softex is pretty fume-y. I have asthma and my wife is pretty sensitive to smells. I am about to try using some Loon UV Flow to see if that might help (I guess I should just try it!). Just wondering what others use? Dale i dont use anything either. the fibers will just split apart regardless of what you coat them with Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WWKimba 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 I had learned many years ago that if you treat any feather wing material it won't marry together again and have found this to be true. If I fish with a treated wing they may last for six fish, if I don't treat them and rub them to remarry them, they'll usually last for a half dozen fish! Kim OK, so I'm a bit of an optimist! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 Welcome to the site. I tie and fish with winged wets a lot. I've just accepted that after a fish or two they're not going to be pretty anymore. Just the reality of using quills. When they get real bad I cut them down and tie another one, all part of the fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandan 0 Report post Posted July 18, 2022 12 hours ago, Oenophileangler said: I have been having trouble with the durability of mottled turkey wings for my Schroeder's Parachute Caddis. I'm tying them small (18 to 22), which probably makes them less durable. The wings fray and become fibers after a fish or two. They can still catch fish after fraying, but I want them to stay intact. Just wondering what others use? Dale All of the replies you've gotten are good and true. Particularly Kim's. You can use 3M spray adhesive on the whole quill either permanent or temporary, let it dry and use a bodkin to separate the fibers you need for the wing. You can get some Aleenes' Fabric fusion permanent adhesive. put some on your thumb and forefinger and run a section of wing fibers between your fingers, let dry, separate and use. Same technique with Flow or Thin. For 22's, which IMHO is a really small caddis, I think your turkey fiber wing is going to fray no matter what. You might try using D'S FLYES WEB WING MATERIAL. It's pretty durable. The link is for the description, most fly shops carry the stuff. I live and fish in the land of tiny flies and haven't had to go smaller than a 20 for caddis. And, of course, welcome to the site. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oenophileangler 0 Report post Posted July 19, 2022 Thanks everyone. In the Eastern Sierra, we do occasionally have very small Caddis, down to size 22, usually late in the season. I'll look at that synthetic material; it looks interesting. I'll try the UV resin. Not sure I'm keen on using a spray on the quill. Dale Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chugbug27 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2022 I haven't tried this yet, but I was looking through The Caddisfly Handbook (Pobst & Richard's 1998), saw an interesting wing treatment and thought of your post -- They recommend hen back and flank feathers (also quail and grouse) pressed onto scotch tape or packing tape, coated with sealant, bent double along the stem, and clipped to shape. They also recommend a sparse underwing of zelon to add some pop. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oenophileangler 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2022 1 hour ago, chugbug27 said: ...hen back and flank feathers (also quail and grouse) pressed onto scotch tape or packing tape, coated with sealant, bent double along the stem, and clipped to shape. They also recommend a sparse underwing of zelon to add some pop. ... that's interesting. Will keep in mind, thx! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sandan 0 Report post Posted July 22, 2022 4 hours ago, chugbug27 said: I haven't tried this yet, but I was looking through The Caddisfly Handbook (Pobst & Richard's 1998), saw an interesting wing treatment and thought of your post -- They recommend hen back and flank feathers (also quail and grouse) pressed onto scotch tape or packing tape, coated with sealant, bent double along the stem, and clipped to shape. They also recommend a sparse underwing of zelon to add some pop. Nice idea. Thanks Chugbug27 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chugbug27 0 Report post Posted July 23, 2022 Correction on the zelon -- the tape and flexible cement give the wing some sparkle already. No underwing needed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oenophileangler 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2022 I did more research on this, and I found a couple of treatments that might work. Leeson and Schollmeyer, in the Benchside Reference, write about "Tuffilm" which might be like an adhesive, but it is originally for protecting drawings (you spray it on things like chalk or charcoal drawings so they don't smudge). However, reviews of this stuff on Amazon say it stinks. Feather-Craft has a product in their catalog called Feather-Tuff (also called Feather Tough by Cascade Crest Tools), which comes in a pump sprayer. I might try this stuff. I still haven't tried out using UV resin. Dale Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2022 from your local craft store if you cant do the stink spray your feathers outside try this web wing material medallion sheeting swiss straw Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Oenophileangler 0 Report post Posted July 27, 2022 Loon UV Flow cures to a "too rigid" form. I could apply the resin to most of the wing, but tied in at the part without the resin, and that worked. Seems more sturdy. I'll try solarex flex. The Silicone clear caulk looks interesting too. I also have some of the Web Wing ordered from Stockard. I'll get there. Thx, Norm. Dale Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
