Six Hundred things removed from Fly Fisherman because the zip code wasn’t exotic enough No. 443

Whether you’re following the teachings of some past master or merely becoming enamored of steelhead fishing, at some point you’ll enter a tangled web of materials poorly suited to fly tying – all of which will be proof against brute force or coaxing …

Most Atlantic Salmon tiers will admit to being frustrated by many aspects of the “olde flyes”, but endure their complexities to remain authentic, knowing so many tiers before them have given up in disgust.

Whether it’s the tail on a steelhead fly or the topping on a salmon hairwing, pheasant crests have always driven tiers to drink, as they’re a three dimensional tie whose bend has to be matched to hook size.

Packaged Pheasant Crest After the bird is scalped these feathers hang forgotten for a couple decades until moth damage requires someone replaces their supply of Royal Coachmen tailing – by then the golden crest is warped into a number of odd directions which we hope will tie flat but know better. 

Subdue the unruly by licking the offending feathers onto a beer can and allow them to dry. They will retain both the shape and drape of the can diameter – as well as all point in the same direction.

 Drying Pheasant Crests

If a sharper bend is needed, simply wet the crests and use a smaller diameter bottle like a pill container. To ensure the crest is perfectly straight, pull the stem once it’s affixed to the beer bottle via spittle. The fibers will pull themselves perfectly straight as a result of your yanking on the stem.

Fly tiers are no strangers to licking beer bottles nor are they reluctant to nurse the leftovers once the cigarette butts are removed. It’s all part of the same downward spiral.

4 thoughts on “Six Hundred things removed from Fly Fisherman because the zip code wasn’t exotic enough No. 443

  1. trout chaser

    A little spit-n-stroke is also my secret to perfect feather wings on Glasso style steelhead speys.

  2. JP2

    …spit-n-stroke….must NOT comment on chorus girls I have known..MUST not….They’re someone’s mom now…but that’s not my fault…

  3. trout chaser

    Hee hee! After I posted that I realized “whoops…” Just goes to show my wife is right about us!

  4. Peter

    Topping and tails. Natural companions with some spittle. Let dry thouroughly, then seperate fibers with one pull between thumb and forefinger.

    For frame mounting, topping and tail can be joined with a little tongue-glue as well, without looking all that un-natural.

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