Making Wings for Flies

Cut wings, as they are sometimes called, are manually or mechanically cut and shaped from different materials to imitate the wings of insects. They can be selected from the flank feathers of waterfowl and other types of birds or from synthetic products. They can also be shaped by hand with scissors, fingernail clippers or other sharp instruments. Another option is a mechanical wing cutter, but it is cumbersome to use and the resulting shapes can be inconsistent. A good example of this is the Herter's model which consists of a removable plate with teeth that could separate a feather into wing sections. The pinched sections had to be cemented before they were used, but even so, they were not perfectly shaped.

Wing burners and wing cutters are manufactured in various shapes and hook sizes. They can be used to shape wings for a variety of insects including nymphs, caddis, midges, hoppers, spent wings and adult stoneflies. They have the capability to burn or cut wings from feathers, latex, fabrics and other materials. These tools are very effective, but many tiers feel that they have better results using their hands. 

Four methods are pictured below. 

Fish are Smarter than We Think!

Doug releasing a Salmon River Steelhead

An age old question regarding the behavior of sea run salmon and steelhead is why they so readily take artificial flies and lures on their return to their natal streams to spawn every one to four years, even though they do not actively feed during this time.

Anadromous fish that are born in the stream or hatchery constantly forage for food before they go to the ocean. When they return, somewhere in their pea-sized brain, they instinctively react to something that represents their original food sources. This often triggers their feeding impulses. Another reason may be that they foraged in the ocean for several years and upon their return still retain their feeding impulses. Salmon in particular will take bright fly patterns that are tied to represent salmon eggs, shrimp and a variety of other forms of sea life.  

To bring these facts to life, I can recall an experience that I had with a client that wanted to learn how to fly fish. I found a large pool on the Salmon River located near Mt. Hood that held both native trout, hatchery steelhead and wild salmon which had to be released. After giving him some basic casting instructions, I told him to make a few casts to get the feel of the line and the rod’s action. After he had the basic casting techniques down, and with a dry caddis fly tied on the tippet, he made a few errant practice casts and then laid out about 30 feet of line. Suddenly out of nowhere a large salmon took the fly and had my client on. I knew it was a large fish because it hugged the bottom and never jumped. With coaching and a little luck, my client was able to tire and land an eighteen pounder. Undoubtedly, as a juvenile he fed on the river’s caddis flies.  

Anadromous fish have an amazing internal guidance system! Not only can they remember their natal food sources, but they can also navigate hundreds if not thousands of miles to find their precise spawning grounds. Studies indicate that they can locate their natal stream by its distinctive smell, sensing the earth’s magnetic field and by following ocean currents.

Tying Norm's Stonefly Nymph

Norm's Stone

There are many different versions of stoneflies and most are effective. Some are tied to look like the real bug while others are tied to suggest the appearance of one. Norm’s Stonefly falls in the middle. It looks close to the natural, but it’s not an exact replica. I prefer this latter style because they are easier to tie and they work just as well if not better than perfect models. It has a soft latex body, a black chenille or wool thorax, a black goose feather for the wing case and goose biots for the split tail. Front goose biots are optional as well as lead wire spiraled around the hook shank to help the fly sink better.

Like most nymphs, it must be cast upstream and dead drifted as it sinks and tumbles close to the bottom. Strike indicators can help detect a strike, but oftentimes a good nymph angler has that innate quality of sensing a subtle take. But, to use an old saying, “When in doubt, set the hook.”

Materials for tying Norm's Stonefly:

Hook: 36890, 9672 sizes 8-4

Thread: 3/0 black

Weight: lead wire (optional)

Split tail: Goose biots

Body: Black latex over black wool

Thorax: Black hackle palmered over black wool

Wing case: Black goose feather section

Antennae: Goose biots (optional)

Instructions for tying Norm’s Stonefly:

Tie in 2 goose biots split apart. Attach black wool and latex. Spiral on lead wire if desired.

Wrap the wool 2/3 inch forward and tie off. Follow with 7-10 wraps of latex and tie off.

Tie in wing case and black wool. Then, wrap the thread forward to 1/8 inch of the eye.

Wrap wool forward to form the thorax and pick it out. Then spiral in 3-4 turns of hackle and bring the wing case over the top. Tie the head off and cement.