On Tue, 27 Jun 2006 13:28:42 -0500, Conan The Librarian
wrote:

wrote:

Conan The Librarian wrote:


Of course, you should take everything I say with a grain of salt,
because I fish the majority of my time in warm water, and I didn't tie
my first Royal Wullf until a few years ago.

I also can't spell "Wulff".

I'm sure one of the yanquis will be along real soon with some real help.

[snip]

Thanks Conan, something I'm trying to figure out on the Wullf's is if
the tail is 'weight' to balance the fly, and therefore should be about
as heavy as the wings, but shorter, rather than supporting the fly on
the water through a smaller diameter bunch of 1 shank length as in a
normal dry fly. Appreciate the comments.

FWIW, most of the store-bought RW I've seen do have a fairly thick
bunch of hair for the tail, so your counterbalance idea might have some
merit.

The way I've been tying mine seems to help with the problem of
"nose-heavy" flies, but will probably make the purists cringe. I use
"parapost" synthetics for the wing, and I don't always bother to post
the wings separately. *gasp*

The synthetic is lighter than calfhair, and creates less mass where
it's tied in. IME that makes for a fly that's less nose-heavy and neater.


Chuck Vance (who needs all the help he can get in the neatness
department)

If I read y'alls posts correctly, and assuming y'all aren't _really_
overtying the wings, hackle, etc., the proportion between the hackle,
the lowest point of hook from the bend to the hook-point as the fly
should ride (generally, just back from the barb or trailing end of the
point), and the tail, and the imaginary line created by these three
points, with all such flies is important. IOW and for example, if
everything is alright save the tail (or hackle) being too short, it's
not gonna present properly. In such a case, you are creating a
"teeter-totter" effect.

As to material choice, use what works - it isn't an imitator and
Quackenbusch, Cross, and Wulff didn't invent flytying, fishing or
catching.

HTH,
R