In fly dressing, different hairs and tail feathers are used for various purposes, with some used for tails, wings, and bodies, while others are used for hackle, nymph legs, and bugger tails. Here’s a breakdown:
Hairs:
Hollow deer hair is ideal for spinning or stacking, while less hollow hair is used for tails, upright wings, and down wings.
- Texas Deer Hair: Less hollow, good for tails and upright wings.
- Coastal Deer Hair: Low-intermediate hollowness, good for wings.
- Northern Deer Hair: More hollow, good for various applications.
- Early Season Deer Hair: Less hollow.
- Late Season Deer Hair: More hollow.
- Bucktail:
Long and stiff, ideal for large flies, salmon flies, and saltwater flies.
Short, stiff hairs for propping up other materials or separating materials, or as a wing on bonefish flies.
Soft, downy feathers, commonly used for bugger tails.
- “Stiff Stuff” Marabou: Blood quill marabou.
- “Silky Stuff” Marabou: The soft, downy part of the feather.
Feathers:
- Rooster Tail Feathers: Used for nymph wing cases, as tails, or wrapping bodies on nymphs/emergers/wet flies/dry flies, and creating legs for grasshopper patterns.
- CDL Tailing: Feathers from the rooster’s shoulder, used for tailing on dry flies and nymphs.
- CDC (Cul de Canard): Known for buoyancy, used for dry fly patterns.
- Standard CDC: Just labeled CDC or Cul de Cunard.
- CDC Puffs: Shorter, more densely fibered feathers.
- Wood Duck Feathers: “Lemon” flank feathers are prized for their color and barring.
- Mallard Duck Feathers: “Cul de canard” feathers are sought after for their buoyancy.
- Green-Winged Teal Feathers: Popular due to their coloration and abundance.
- Body Feathers: Great for soft hackle, nymph legs, and tails.
- Secondary Feathers: Can be used for wing, nymph legs, and tails.
- Barred Flank Feathers: From a wood duck, used for Atlantic salmon and steelhead flies.
- India Hen Feathers: Can be used for soft tackle feathers or legs on two-bit hooker flies.
- Peacock Upper Tail Covert Feathers: The barbs are commonly referred to as “herl”.
