Red-Headed Cahill

[Fletch_W]

Hook: Dry #14-16
Thread: Cream, Yellow, or White.
Tail: Natural Ginger Hackle Fibers
Body: "Cahill" or Cream/yellow dubbing
Hackle: Natural Ginger Hackle
Wing: Wood Duck
Camera: Crappy Cell Phone

I didn't distinguish between "Light Ginger" and "Ginger" when I bought my materials to make this fly, so instead of being blond, it's red-headed, thus the name.

Sorry for the bad picture, I spent about 30 minutes getting this one, the best of the bunch.

The fly is tied like a normal dry Light Cahill, the fancy wing is simple but difficult. I saw some similar patterns for BWO etc on a website, and experimented to find out how the wing was tied. So, I encourage you to do the same if you don't already know.

I will be getting a new USB cable for the real camera and get a better pic up soon, I promise. And my promise is worth a red-headed cahill.

[childers]

nice but needs thicker wings

[Fletch_W]

I guess I could learn how to marry wings to make them thicker, or maybe use something besides lemon wood duck color-wise for a "thicker" color...

Keep in mind the picture is bad, the body is actually cream/yellow, not brown as the picture shows.

Anyways.... thanks for saying it's nice. :giggles:




Any hints or tips are appreciated.

[Fletch_W]

CHilders, on second thought, please don't ruin my glory-whore post with your jibber jabber. I'm looking for validation here.

[Chris B.]

Hey Fletch,

Being a newbie fly tyer myself and having limited resources as far as tying materials (hey I'm a broke grad student....I make do with what I can find)....in my opinion I would maybe try to get the wings a little closer to the eye, also maybe try and tighten them up some, and something just looks funny about the tail. All this said though.....I bet it will still catch fish (though the wing thing might present some long term floating issues). Anyways that's my $0.02.

Cheers,

Chris B.

[Fletch_W]

It's got more wing than a standard Adams, same amount of hackle, dry dubbing, hook, and tail. I don't think floating would be a problem. It lands right on the desk, so it's balanced in that sense. I agree the tail is a little longer than it should be, but I think it works out since the wings are a little further back on the hook, so you still get the elongated form from a fisheye view.

If you click on the picture, then put a thumb over the eye and a thumb over the point, it's proportioned normally. Tying it this way makes tying the knot on the stream a little easier.

And I've seen trout eat bird sh#t.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!!

[Gatorbyte]

Fletch:

I like like it. It looks really buggy and I bet it will catch fish. I have a really hard time tying wings. How did you tie in the wing?

[Fletch_W]

Without pictures it will be very hard to explain.

Take your feather, strip all the feather off one side, then most of the feather off the other side, so you have a quill with about a half inch (or whatever size you need) of feather still on one side, intact, nothing on the other side, and enough quill with feather stipped on both sides to tie onto your hook.

Tie it in.

Trim excess quill.

With thumb and forefinger, pull down the feather part to the hook shank so it looks like you want it to look. This will take several attempts.

Tie it down.

So the quill is the back "spine" of the feather, giving you a clean edge.

I hope that makes sense. I saw a better picture of one, and sort of figured it out from the picture, sorry my picture sucks.

I ran across a couple of these styles on one of the flytying websites that was posted last week on the "fly tying website" topic, scrolling around for a few hours and checking stuff out. I wish I had a link, but I don't.

[Chuck Morris]

Fletch_W, et al,
That type of wing is called a "Wally Wing". For detailed instructions (with pictures) go to Fly Anglers On Line, Fly Tying, Fly of the Week, 2nd Quarter 2002.
Chuck

[Fletch_W]

Chuck, I know this wing is good for curb appeal, but do you know of any real effect it has on the fish?

[Chuck Morris]

I have tied a few mayflies with the Wally Wing. I have not fished them much. It is my understanding that these wings are best suited for mayflies and you put one only on the fly. That way it represents the mayfly wings when folded together in the resting position. It would also stand to reason that these flys would be used primarily on flat water.
If you do not get the proportions just right, and even if you do, these flies have a tendency to twist your leader.
You are correct in that they make a neat looking fly, and some of the fish that I have talked to seem to like them,:rolleyes: but most prefer some of the more traditional patterns.
My two cents.
Chuck
I've been thinking, and yes, I know that is a dangerous thing for me to do.:) I have also tied a few down wing delta style caddis using two Wally Wings. Once again, for use on flat water. I know I did not tie many due to the bad language involved.:blush: I will try to find some of my Wally Wing ties and post some pictures.

[Fletch_W]

tick tock!!!!! where's those picures?

[Chuck Morris]

Fletch et al,
Sorry that I have not posted any pictures, but to tell the truth I forgot.:o
I only found one Wally Wing fly and a picture is enclosed. The others are either in Penna. or I gave them to my nephews.
This particular fly must have been tied over 5 years ago since it has a barb.
There are other wings similar to the Wally wing. Oragami wings/ half hackle wings etc. I think that some people just make up names for the same or nearly the same things.
Chuck

[Fletch_W]

Then I will call mine "Fletcher Style" since a Fletcher is someone who puts feathers onto weapons, and I think that's appropriate.