No wing dries

[Gene L 0]

At what pont if any do you not put wings on dries. I'm having trouble with 16 quills, and figure they're fine with no wings. I may try again, but not if unnecessary.

[redietz 0]

Assuming you're talking about conventionally hackled dries, I find that the only real reason to add wings is make the fly easier to see. The hackle itself is all the wing the fish needs to see.

 

Obviously, on a parachute you need a wing post, and no-hackles benefit from wings, but I've caught just as many fish on dries without wings as flies with. I usually add them any way to flies that traditionally have them -- I couldn't bring myself to fish a wingless Hendrickson, for example -- but don't believe they add any real benefit in inducing fish to take them. (In fact, I'd say that my top two producing dries are a Renegade and a Bivisible, even during hatches and on spring creeks with fussy fish.)

[Flicted 0]

I usually put wings on first so I can cut the ends at an angle to taper the body. For smaller flies, I leave the wing forward until the tail and body are finished and it's time to wind the hackle.

[utyer 0]

I never use quill wing dry flies myself. I will put poly wings on some hackled patterns, but most of the time, I fish with a deer hair wing pattern such as a comparadun. Any pattern smaller than a size 16, I leave out the hackle or use a loop wing of mallard or teal flank.

[flyty1 0]

For my fishing dries, I have switched exclusivly to parachute patterns - they land right on the water, you can use oversize and/or indian capes for hackle, and the post can be tied with a number of materials some of which can greatly improve the visibility of very small flies on the water.

[tjm 0]

Most of my mayfly dries are wingless, tied variant or plamered. Hair wings I don't use in sizes smaller than 16. You may find duck flank fibers easier to use if you want the wing look.

[Mark Knapp 0]

I noticed in the Orvis index, they start tying the classic dry flies without wings at size 20 and smaller. The classics like the Adams are called midge dry flies in those sizes on page 19 in my index.

[Charlie P. (NY) 0]

Depends on the pattern. I used to tie Trico spinners with wings but no hackle down to 24.

 

Classic dries - I seldom tie anymore but will wing them down to 18 for a BWO - but those are hackle tips and relatively forgiving. I seldom tie below 14 for quill wing patterns except for the 16 light Cahill.

[redietz 0]

For my fishing dries, I have switched exclusivly to parachute patterns - they land right on the water,

OTOH, if you omit the wing on a conventionally hackled dry, there is no such as upside down.