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AKA: Brush type wings - deer hair

A very popular technique for tying emerger flies. More recently brushes have been tied from CDC as well as deer hair and both work well. The secret of course is that both materials float well.

Deer hair brush type wings are a very effective way of adding flotation to a fly just where you want it. As long as you have the buoyancy of the wing and the weight equation of the fly correct the wing will hold the fly in the surface film with the business end right in the trouts face.

Process

A	Wind the thread from the 95% position to the bend of the hook. Take your thread to exactly where you intend to tie the wing in. This is about the 3/4 position.

B	Select and clip a bunch of deer hair for the wing. You will need enough to float the fly on the surface tension of the water and to be visible but not so much that it can't be tied into the hook shank comfortably. I like to put my deer hair into a deer hair stacker to get all the tips lined up. The process of stacking deer hair is an efficient and effective way of lining up the tips of deer hair.

C	Whilst holding the deer hair stacker horizontal carefully separate the tow sections and take the deer hair out of the stacker with your right hand. Bunching it up into a tight mass as you do, and carefully hold the tight mass of hair along the top of the hook shank at the tie in position.

D	Without moving the tight mass of deer hair swap your grip from the right hand to the left hand. Get used to sliding the thumb and fore finger of the left hand onto the material to be tied in and the shank of the hook ready to undertake a fly tiers pinch. If your happy with the length of the deer hair, that the deer hair is even and that the deer hair is in the correct position proceed to the next step. If you not happy with the length of the hair, can see that the tips of the hair are uneven or that the hair is in the wrong position go back to the previous step.

E	Do a loose fly tiers pinches and then slowly pull it tightly closed locking the hairs into position. Do a couple of tight wraps of thread to ensure that the hairs are secured into position on top of the hook shank. If you have done this step correctly you should be able to apply some downward pressure on the bobbin without the hair rotating round the hook shank.

F	Trim the butt ends of the hair off horizontally.

G	Tie the remaining butt ends of the hair down on the hook shank. If you have done this step correctly there should be a gentle slope rather than a definite ridge.

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