Red Quill/Traditional Dries

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steely34
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2010/02/02 13:06:11 (permalink)

Red Quill/Traditional Dries

Just got done tying 3 doz. of these and got them mailed away (glad that's done!) - but as I was finishing them up this morning, I got to thinking how perhaps some of us - myself included - have perhaps gotten away from throwing the traditional dry patterns. With cdc, parachute patterns and the such, I know I gotta refill my box with them because they have always been a good floater to offer the feesh. So anyway - here's how I tie 'em - with wings posted with both woodduck feather and mallard quill.

First off - I couldn't help but notice how the quality of hackle has gotten so much better over the years. On the picture below - the hackle on the top is off a grade 2 neck I purchased some 35 years ago when Metz was really the only one around supplying hackle. The neck cost me $15 then. The stem on the bottom is off a grade 2 Hoffman neck. Quite a difference.



 
 
Some of the materials:
 

 
1. Start the thread on any dry fly hook - here it's a size 16. Wind a good base of thread on the hook shank back to just before the start of the bend.
 


2. For the tailing - Take a large hackle stem and fold back with your fingers some of the fibers and cut them off the stem. Some tiers just grab hold of the fibers and strip them off but personally I think that leaves uneven ends. By folding them back and cutting them off, I think it helps to keep the tips somewhat even. Tie these on top of the hook shank using a loose loop - adjusting the length to equal the length of the hook shank. Cover the hackle tailing with thread the entire length of the shank - eliminating the "bump" at the rear.
 




3. For the wing - here I'm using lemon woodduck and some tiers even the tips off this feather by pulling outward and cut them off. Then they tie these fibers on top of the hook. What I like to do is use the whole feather - stripped on the bottom - then fold the feather in half and tie this in on top of the hook. For me I think it helps to keep the tip more even.
 






4. Cut off the excess and post the wing by pulling up on it and building a thread "dam" in front. Then take the bobbin, split the fibers in half and figure 8 through them.



5. Move the thread to the rear and tie in a stripped brown hackle stem. Wrap this forward in even wraps to just behind the wing post.
I soak the stem in liquid detergent water for about 20 minutes before I tie them on. I think it makes them more pliable.





6. Tie in the hackle sized for the hook with the dull side either facing you or facing up.
If it wants to roll when you tie it in, it may help to flatten the stem with tying pliers at the point of the first few wraps. Also, I always strip just a few more barbs off the one side of the feather so that the first wrap will not trap any barbs.



7. Lightly dub the thorax.
 




8. Wind the hackle forward. Whip finish off
Before I start the first wind, I always pull forward on the hackle stem and if there are any stray hackle fibers, I pluck them off. If not these fibers will be the ones that will trap and lay back along the body. The first pic shows a few of these stray fibers.







For mounting duck quill wings:
 
1. Pick a pair of matching duck quills - left and right. Cut matching slips off each quill. Tie these in facing to the rear.
I've found that the upper two thirds of the quill is the best area for tying in these small slips. Too low and the slips are too soft and tend to split apart. Too high and they are too thick and also will split. Also when you tie these in hold the tips tightly together with your left thumb and forefinger. Using a loose loop wrap, bind them down, then wrap forward two wraps. Pull up and even out the butt ends of the slips which will set the wings in place. Take a few more turns forward being aware of crowding the eye.



2. Cut off the butt ends and cover with a few wraps of thread. With your right hand, pull up on the quills and take a few turns behind the slips - slightly posting them upright.
 


3. Tie in the stripped quill and wrap forward, dub the thorax, tie in the hackle and wind forward. Whip finish.
 









What the trout see:



post edited by steely34 - 2010/02/02 13:07:25

"They say you forget your troubles on a trout stream, but that's not quite it..... you begin to see where your troubles fit into the grand scheme of things, and suddenly they're just not such a big deal anymore."

John Gierach

#1

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    doubletaper
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    RE: Red Quill/Traditional Dries 2010/02/02 13:29:56 (permalink)
    steely34, nice photos of the how-to. i'm sure this gives the new tyers a visual aspect of how it's done.
    i don't dub a thorax when i tie a quill body, but that's me.
    when i tie in a hackle on a split wing dry, i'll tie the hackle stem in between the wings. just something i do to keep the wings seperated so i don't have to figure8 as many winds.
    i was tying blue quills last night. if i got time i'll post one.
     
    great job

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #2
    steely34
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    RE: Red Quill/Traditional Dries 2010/02/02 13:37:10 (permalink)
    DT - good idea of tying in the hackle between the wings. Never thought of that before. Thanks for the tip!

    "They say you forget your troubles on a trout stream, but that's not quite it..... you begin to see where your troubles fit into the grand scheme of things, and suddenly they're just not such a big deal anymore."

    John Gierach

    #3
    doubletaper
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    RE: Red Quill/Traditional Dries 2010/02/03 08:14:29 (permalink)
    here's a couple of #18 blue quills.

     

     
     
    here's a #14 quill gorden made with a stripped peacock herl

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #4
    Cold
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    RE: Red Quill/Traditional Dries 2010/02/03 08:24:56 (permalink)
    Sweet ties, dUUds.

    DT, what type of quill did you use on your blue quill?
    #5
    doubletaper
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    RE: Red Quill/Traditional Dries 2010/02/03 08:44:27 (permalink)
    i use a stripped blue dun feather stem. use the feathers with a lot of webbing in the back row of the cape. no use wasting a good stiff feather.
    i counter wrap fine silver wire over the quill.

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #6
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