These turkey feathers are calling my name...

[caswilso 0]

Hey, everyone.

 

I recently got into tying flies and fly fishing and once my cousin found out about it, he sent a slew of wild turkey feathers my way. Does anyone know of any fly recipes that use mainly turkey feathers? Whenever I google it, I keep getting websites on how to cure the feathers and that's not exactly what I'm looking for....

 

Thanks a bunch in advanced!

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

You could try the humble old muddler minnow, i use a great deal of turkey for wets, speys, dee's.

[utyer 0]

Depends on just which feathers your talking about. Tail feathers work well as wing cases on nymphs. Tail feathers can also be used just like pheasant tail for nymphs. The mottled (speckled,) secondary (more rounded tips,) wing quills are used for hopper and muddler wings. The dark breast and back feathers make good wing cases too. The fluffy (mostly gray) under feathers are where marabou comes from. The primary wing quills (more pointed tips,) can be wrapped as quill bodies, and provide tails and legs for stone fly nymphs.

[Fisherboy0301 0]

Feathers from the thigh/leg area make great soft hackles if you can get your hands on some.

[caswilso 0]

Thanks, guys!

 

FlyFishin'Jam- I have every intention of tying a muddler's minnow. My fishing buddy suggested I tie that one, but sadly, my daddy didn't kill a deer this past deer season, so I don't have any extra fur laying around just yet and I haven't come across anything good in the dozens of craft boxes yet to improvise. I'm going to have to keep my eyes peeled for roadkill, I guess.

 

utyer- That's so helpful! I actually have a couple of each of those feathers you listed, not a lot of the under feathers, though.

 

Fisherboy0301- I'll have to keep that in mind, thanks!

[mikechell 0]

Turkey feather barbs from the flight feathers (Large thick barbs) make great insect backs. Pulled over and tied in at the head, they are very convincing beetle wing covers. Look at some of Dron Lee's designs for abdomens with velvet and feather "patchwork" that looks fantastic.

 

I'll say it before someone else does. Experiment ... you might like what comes off your vice.

[caswilso 0]

Thanks for the tip, mikechell!

 

Trust me, I've been experimenting!

[FlyFishin'Jam 0]

A really challenging one for beginners if you do not have the deer body hair for a muddler would be something like a march brown wet fly, one of the oldest patterns around which is still effective and enjoyable to fish today. Just remember setting wings takes practice if you want to go that direction (a good skill to learn). Just beware as i would say it is intermediate.

Pheasant is called for in the Trout recipe; the wing on these flies is finely mottled brown turkey, a good substitute and easier to work with than pheasant.

 

 

[caswilso 0]

Thanks for that video! I'll defintely be trying that one, once I have time! I'll make sure to let you know how that one works out!