Whole turkey wings...now what?

[ihang10 0]

So I have two whole wings from a Tom, I get the part about using the mottled feathers but there are an awful lot of what seems like useful feathers on a wing. I am not sure in what capacity to use them though.

 

Aside from the larger, mottled feathers the smaller ones are mostly brown/iridescent feathers. I figure if nothing else the quills will make good bodies.

 

Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated.

[mikechell 0]

several barbs for bug backs, single barbs for legs or tails ...

[cheech 0]

Use them however you see fit. Wing cases, legs, etc.

[ihang10 0]

Thanks, and I figure these are pretty good all purpose feathers, but is there anything "special" I should be on the lookout for? I've never had a whole wing to work with and I'd hate to miss out on some part I'm not aware of.

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

Wets, speys, salmon flies, married wings, tweed hat adornments.

[feathers5 0]

I think there are biots on the leading edge of the flight feathers you can use for dry fly bodies or whatever. Someone correct me is I'm wrong. I do know there are biots. As previously stated you can use them for almost anything you want. You can use them for nymph wing cases, legs, collars, etc. Pattern recipes are carved in stone and you can use whatever you want. Like said before, let the fish be the judge. Be creative and have fun.

[ihang10 0]

Thanks one and all. I'll start breaking the other wing down.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Can't advise you on what flies to tie but if when you say breaking down, you mean cutting and matching the feathers and pairing them up to bag them, then that is a good idea. That's what I did, stores real good like that.

If you have the whole bird, there is some really great mottled marabou down around their thighs that is good for tails on small streamers and nymphs.

 

Kirk

[JSzymczyk 0]

make sure you take the matching secondary flight feathers from each wing !! keep them as pairs. The outermost from each wing is one pair, then the next feather from each wing is another pair, etc. That is the only way to get really nice matched wings on wets, and streamers such as the traditional muddler minnow. You don't just take all the mottled feathers and throw them together..

[fishingbobnelson 0]

The irridescent feathers make great caddis wings. The light reflecting quality makes them easy to see on dak water. I coat them with Dave's Flexament and cut them using a Caddis Wing cutter.

[ihang10 0]

make sure you take the matching secondary flight feathers from each wing !! keep them as pairs. The outermost from each wing is one pair, then the next feather from each wing is another pair, etc. That is the only way to get really nice matched wings on wets, and streamers such as the traditional muddler minnow. You don't just take all the mottled feathers and throw them together..

Thanks, I would have never thought of that.

[ihang10 0]

The irridescent feathers make great caddis wings. The light reflecting quality makes them easy to see on dak water. I coat them with Dave's Flexament and cut them using a Caddis Wing cutter.

This I can do. Thanks.

[Steve P 0]

Use clear Scotch tape instead of the flexament. Faster and much easier.

[troutguy 0]

Turkey wing bone call.......get more turkeys for tying and eating.