Royal Wulff

[Dart 0]

I see a lot wrong with it, but before I continue to work on the pattern, I wanted to run my proportions by you guys.

 

I used Whiting #12 dry fly hackle, which looks a little bit short to me for a Wulff? I used a #12 hook since I don't have #10 or #14 hackle. For the wing, I used calf body hair since I didn't have calf tail. Also, I think the tail could be a bit shorter.

 

One of the main things I'm curious about is do I have about the right amount of material on the hook? I know I need to work on my placement of it as things are a bit messy.

 

I probably wasn't ready to tie the Wulff, but I wanted to try something new and I had most of the materials for it, so I gave it a whirl!

 

I also intend on getting two desk lamps so I can take better pictures, but until then I tried using a different color background. Hopefully you guys can see the fly okay although the lighting is uneven.

 

Again, just looking for some feedback before I turn any more of these lil guys out.

 

 

Thanks for your help!

Jeff

 

[bwo3 0]

well first i think that you did a great job but the only things i can see wrong with it to mabe try something different for the tail and on the body to make more of the peacock show on the front of the also the wings are a bit long fly but other than that i think you did a good job

[Dart 0]

Thanks for your feedback. The pattern I used called for buck tail hair for the tail. I have some moose mane as well, I think I'll use that on my next attempt as I saw someone else here used that and it seemed to work for them.

 

One problem I had while tying was that initially I left plenty of room for the head, but as I kept adding materials, things started to inch toward the front. I tied the calf body hair in as tight as I could without causing it to roll all the way around the hook (used a gathering loop), but I'm guessing that was the root of my problem?

 

Also, from my understanding, this fly should be tied on a standard length hook? I just simply ran out of room. Is there a section I need to focus on to shorten up? Too much wing? Or... did I not tie far enough back to the bend? Either way, I need to find just a little more hook shank to work with to get the second section of peacock to fit properly.

 

On an exciting note (for me anyway) I water tested the fly by dropping it in a glass of water 10 times. Nine of those times, it landed upright. It's a moral victory for me anyway. :hyst:

[camoham 0]

seems like the front part of the thorax or abdomen can get cramped at times. cutting back just a wee bit on the red might give you a little more room.

 

looks good though!

 

camoham

[Guest]

Your fly is over dressed in my opinion. The body is lumpy and very thick, and as a result of this you've crowded the eye. Tie in less tail and wing materials and taper/trim it so as not to leave all that lumpiness.

 

The hackle looks good, though.

[Dart 0]

Thanks guys. I will put your suggestions to good use.

 

Since I'm using calf body hair, does that pose a bulking problem over using tail hair? I have white tail hair from other animals (mostly whitetail deer), would that be better to use than the calf?

 

[Robert_S 0]

This tutorial may help you some. And I do preferr tail for the wings.

http://www.internationalflytyer.com/ubb/po...StripersForEver

[Don Stracener 0]

Your fly looks great, I'm sure you'll get fish with it.

 

I agree it looks overdressed to me too.

 

Nice thing about fish is they don't care about a thread out of place or a little too much dressing, or do they?

[Dart 0]

Thanks for the feedback and link to the tutorial.

 

Well, I just walked in the door from work. It looks like my current options for the wing are either the tips of whitetail deer (tail hair) or calf body hair. Calf tail will be ordered soon, but between these two, is there a clear choice I should be making when it comes to what to use?

 

Fish probably would take that fly, but that's not gonna prevent me from trying to do it right.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dart 0]

This tutorial may help you some. And I do preferr tail for the wings.

http://www.internationalflytyer.com/ubb/po...StripersForEver

 

I just spent some time studying that guide. The step by step instructions with all of the detail makes it look so easy. Getting into fly tying was supposed to take me AWAY from the computer, but t looks like I need to move my vise in here in front of the monitor! :hyst:

 

Oh yeah... is it a bad thing if I start looking at my cat and trying to devise a way to shave him in a way his "mama" wouldn't notice? That'd be some good dubbin' fo sho!

[Robert_S 0]

Tryed to put all the little tricks I new into it. I think out of everything If you just measure your wing and tail lengths that will have the greatest impact on your tying. Take your time and if you make a mistake- stop and redue it. After some practice it will all become second nature to you.

[Robert_S 0]

Dartigan one thing I forgot to put in that tutorial is when you cut the wing butts cut them in the area where your second herl wraps will be . Don't cut the butts for the wing and tail and have the joining area where your floss will be wrapped , that way if the transition isn't perfect your herl will cover it up.

[Dart 0]

Ok... I tried another one. It's taking me an hour+ to make one fly. Wowzas. Anyway, I think I did better about not over dressing this one... and it was looking good until I started wrapping the hackle. Once I started doing the hackle, my wings were no longer split and they got squished together. I still think it looks better than my first attempt, but it's still "meh."

 

 

 

[Dart 0]

This is my latest attempt (Wulff attempt #4). I think it looks better. I'm still having a hard time with the hackle in front of the wing. I don't have thread built up from where I tied in the wing... I think I'm just not tying enough on. Also it's a problem with the little tiny ends of hackle getting caught in thread turns and forcing them up to the eye.

 

Do you guys have any suggestions?

[letumgo 0]

It's looking pretty darned good!!! I see a great improvement from the first photo to this one. You are a very fast learner.

 

The next small change I suggest is stacking the hairs before you tye in the tail. This will even the tips and make the fly look a little neater and more uniform from one fly to the next.