Generic Dry Fly

[davkrat]

I have a nice pile of Greenwing Teal flank feathers from this season and decided to put them to use. Here is a simple quick and easy dry fly I like to tie. Probably has a name already, like all flies they've been invented a thousand times over!

Start with a nice clump of freshly harvested Teal flank feathers.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6692.jpg

Barbless hooks of course after all “what good are they if you DO eat them?”

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6686.jpg

Simply cut a good sized section of barbs off the flank feather. The tips naturally square up and the thin barbs pack in pretty tightly.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6696.jpg

Tie in one hook shank length extending beyond the bend.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6702.jpg

Stand up the bases of the flank barbs and tie into a post like you would a hair post.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6703.jpg

Dub a body, add hackle….

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6707.jpg

Trim the feather butts just past the hackle tips. Walla quick and dirty dry fly that does not require measuring out wings.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6713.jpg

Repeat with olive dubbing.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6716.jpg

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6728.jpg

You can use the same feathers with Charlie Cravens technique for tying in soft hackles regardless of the length of the feather barbs.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6736.jpg

Every one knows for the biggest fish you have to use the littlest flies.

http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z388/davkrat/Fly%20Fishing/Flies-6746.jpg

[Mike O]

how does that tail do as far as flotation?

[davkrat]

They're obviously not as stiff as a hair tail but I tend to have as much or better luck with a half sunk dry as I do one riding high. They're just harder to see when they're down low. I usually use an attractor as an indicator when I'm fishing little flies anyways. All my dries get a good soak in silicone before they ever get fished which seems to help too.