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AKA: Feather slip wings - dry fly

Feather slips for use as wings for a dry fly are most often taken from duck feathers but other feathers such as hen, blackbird, pigeon etc. are also used. The best feathers tend to be the secondary flight feathers as the primary feathers have much thicker barbules that can be difficult to tie in. Feather slip wings should be as wide as the gape of the hook at their thickest point, be symmetrically positioned above the hook with the wings separated by an angle of between 70 degrees and 90 degrees. As for other dry fly upright wings they should be at least as long as the hackle and up to 120% of the hackle length. As for other dry fly upright wings they should be at least as long as the hackle and up to 120% of the hackle length.

Process

A	Slips can be taken from a feather that is reasonably uniform on both sides of the quill..

B	More commonly slips are taken from two opposing feathers, that is one from the right wing and one from the left wing. I like to paint the whole feather or feathers with a light coat of soft coat , nail varnish or hair spray prior to cutting any wing slips for either wet or dry flies.

C	Cut the sips away from the hackle as shown above being careful to keep them right way up. The optimum width at the base of the feather slips is the same as the width of the gape of the hook.

D	This is the relationship of the feather slips and the hook for a dry fly. The slips are tied in with the natural curvature separating the wings and the tips curving up.

E	Take the two feather slips in your right hand and carefully place them over the tie in thread with one slip on each side of the hook shank.

F	Without moving the feather slips swap your grip on them 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 feather slips, that there even and that there in the correct position proceed to the next step. If you not happy with the length of the feather slips, can see that there uneven or that there in the wring position go back to the previous step.

G	Do a loose fly tiers pinches and then slowly pull it tightly closed locking the feathers into position. Do a couple of tight wraps of thread to ensure that the slips are secured into position.

H	Use the fingers of your left hand to stand the wing slips upright and take a few wraps of thread directly in front of the wings to maintain that stance.

I	Tie the remaining butt end down on the hook shank. Just a little manipulation with your fingers will be enough to spread the wings into their finished position which is upright with an angle approaching 90 degrees separating them.

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