Spinners or Spent Wings

[brooktrout308 0]

I've never used or tied Spent Wing Fly's I'm wondering what colors and what sizes should a guy carry with him ?

[prairiedrifter 0]

Brown spinners sizes 10-24.

Cream spinners 10-20.

Black spinners 18-24 for tricos.

Depends on what hatches are around the rivers you fish, but this will cover 80% of hatches.

[whatfly 0]

Fish different waters than prariedrifter, but carry pretty much the exact same colors. Only difference is I tend to favor #18-22.

[spiralspey 0]

I used to carry rusty and tan spinners in sizes 18-14. The patterns I used spun when cast and twisted my tippet, plus they were nearly impossible to see at any distance. I tossed them. Now when I come across a spinner fall I use a comparadun, it has a pretty good spinner profile when viewed from below and I already carried some in my dry fly box. It's not the best solution, but on the few occasions when I've found trout selectively feeding on spinners it's worked fairly well.

[SilverCreek 0]

Spinners generally are the same size as the dun.

 

Rather than hackle, the best and cheapest material I have found for spinners is white twinkle organza fabric. You can buy a yard of it for several dollars. It also comes in various colors. It works because it sparkles simulating the sparkle of spinner wings. Twinkle organza fabric also comes in ribbon form.

 

 

Do NOT take the fibers apart. Tie it in as a strip of fabric and then remove the cross threads after the wing is tied it. Some cross thread will remain at the base of the wing and this helps maintain spread of the fibers.

See the way Gary Borger ties it in this chocolate spinner pattern.

Full tying directions here:

Gary Borger Twinkle Wing Spinner