Hopper Wings

Hello All,

I am doing some winter tying. Having made all of my most used patterns,
I want to get into some more extic stuff. Does anybody have much
experience with synthetic materials used for a grasshopper wing? I have
always used turkey, but believe that a synthetic would give me a neater,
trimmer profile that I want. Any suggestions?

Pete Collin

Peter A. Collin wrote:
Hello All,

I am doing some winter tying. Having made all of my most used
patterns,
I want to get into some more extic stuff. Does anybody have much
experience with synthetic materials used for a grasshopper wing? I
have
always used turkey, but believe that a synthetic would give me a
neater,
trimmer profile that I want. Any suggestions?

Pete Collin

fish a streamer

Wayne
to fish is human....to release Divine!!!

Peter A. Collin wrote:
Hello All,

I am doing some winter tying. Having made all of my most used patterns,
I want to get into some more extic stuff. Does anybody have much
experience with synthetic materials used for a grasshopper wing? I have
always used turkey, but believe that a synthetic would give me a neater,
trimmer profile that I want. Any suggestions?

Pete Collin

Organza comes to mind, or maybe the stuff that is sold as 'sedge wing',
altough it is ridiculously expensive.

--
Herman

"Peter A. Collin" wrote in message
...
Hello All,

I am doing some winter tying. Having made all of my most used patterns, I
want to get into some more extic stuff. Does anybody have much experience
with synthetic materials used for a grasshopper wing? I have always used
turkey, but believe that a synthetic would give me a neater, trimmer
profile that I want. Any suggestions?

Pete Collin

I use "thin skin" for wing cases. I also use plastic raffia. I like the
raffia because its cheap and I can fold it and glue it with fingernail
polish to get the right effect. Sometimes, I sprinkle the appropriate color
of hare's mask inside whilst folding. This gives it a mottled appearance.
I also use tyvek from overnight mailers. This can be colored with permanent
markers then cut. Additionally, I've got some tyvek survival maps used by
military pilots. These are already colored perfectly.
Herman mentioned organza. Its very nice stuff and can be purchased cheap at
your local fabric store. Buy the right color and BANG, instant wings. I
like to cut a long thin rectangle, tie it in perpendicular to the fly, then
tease out the weft. Done with sparkle organza (ask for it in the store) and
its an instant spinner wing. Darker colors, sealed with head cement or
heated (the edge will fray), make very good hopper wings.
Waterproof clear tape and feathers. Lay the feather of your choice on the
tape and cut out a wing shape. Works great. It has the durability of
synthetic and the color of the feather. Its also a lot easier to work with
once its on the tape.
Hope this helps.
--
Frank Reid
Reverse email to reply

Peter A. Collin wrote:

I am doing some winter tying. Having made all of my most used
patterns,
I want to get into some more extic stuff. Does anybody have much
experience with synthetic materials used for a grasshopper wing? I
have
always used turkey, but believe that a synthetic would give me a
neater,
trimmer profile that I want. Any suggestions?

if God had meant for synthetic anything to be used on a trout fly, he
would have made roosters out of graphite and elk out of fiberglass.
Screw the synthetic stuff, use real feathers. g

Wayne Knight wrote:
Peter A. Collin wrote:


I am doing some winter tying. Having made all of my most used

patterns,

I want to get into some more extic stuff. Does anybody have much
experience with synthetic materials used for a grasshopper wing? I

have

always used turkey, but believe that a synthetic would give me a

neater,

trimmer profile that I want. Any suggestions?


if God had meant for synthetic anything to be used on a trout fly, he
would have made roosters out of graphite and elk out of fiberglass.
Screw the synthetic stuff, use real feathers. g

Ah, but I will never let go of my Antron yarn for LaFontaine Caddis!

Peter A. Collin wrote:

Ah, but I will never let go of my Antron yarn for LaFontaine Caddis!

I thought his caddis imitations suggest antron dubbing instead of the
roped yarn? Regradless I prefer to use dyed rabbit.

Wayne Knight wrote:

Peter A. Collin wrote:


Ah, but I will never let go of my Antron yarn for LaFontaine Caddis!


I thought his caddis imitations suggest antron dubbing instead of the
roped yarn? Regradless I prefer to use dyed rabbit.


It's funny how tastes differ. I much prefer the creative use of
synthetic materials over the same-old same-old "traditional" patterns
using just feathers and fur.

I've been tying sal****er patterns lately, in preparation for an
upcoming trip. Without flashy synthetic materials, sal****er flies would
be really boring and probably relatively ineffective.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

"rw" wrote in message
ink.net...
It's funny how tastes differ. I much prefer the creative use of synthetic
materials over the same-old same-old "traditional" patterns using just
feathers and fur.

The hypocrisy in the all natural argument is the coated threads, tinsels,
and ribbing used of course. As you know, I have this thing for natural
things in fly fishing for trout.

I've been tying sal****er patterns lately, in preparation for an upcoming
trip. Without flashy synthetic materials, sal****er flies would be really
boring and probably relatively ineffective.

If I could tie sal****er flies, I'm sure I'd be forced to use synthetics
too. They just don't make too many animals with sparkling fur and feathers.

Wayne Knight wrote:

Peter A. Collin wrote:


Ah, but I will never let go of my Antron yarn for LaFontaine Caddis!


I thought his caddis imitations suggest antron dubbing instead of the
roped yarn? Regradless I prefer to use dyed rabbit.

You just cut up the roped yarn and swirl it in a coffee grinder. Presto.