|
|
Post by AdamWellington on Feb 6, 2010 8:19:25 GMT -5
genghis,
Woody bugger > Woolly Bugger
|
|
|
|
Post by NickConwall on Feb 6, 2010 12:08:58 GMT -5
genghis, Woody bugger > Woolly Bugger ... I never noticed the different spellings, thought you were messin with my already fragile head but you are right and it is true that the Woody bugger is (>) greater than the woolly bugger, at least in my experience. As a side note, if I was to substitute woodpecker in for the mallard flank would it be called a "Woody Pecker"  ...get it? funny huh.....  |
|
|
|
Post by johnjarosz(jj) on Feb 6, 2010 21:53:25 GMT -5
g-78..actually, that was a pretty good joke, but if you've ever had thoughts about going pro, you may not want to quit your day job, just yet (ha! ha!). My son has a good friend who duck hunts & your posts have peaked my interest. I'm going to ask him to get me a skin next time he's out. I have a book called "Tying & Fishing Soft-Hackled Nymphs" by Allen McGee. It has the standard stuff about tying, but the center section has almost 60 photos with recipes of various nymphs & flymphs using soft hackles & all sorts of materials for bodies...from dubbing to copper, to vinyl ribbing, etc. There are patterns that call for grouse, starling, partridge,hen necks, and many others for the hackle. I suppose one could pick thru a duck skin & find something suitable from different parts. Thanks for the posts & especially the one about tying a few & then going on to other patterns. I'm like that, too. I'm good for about four of one kind then it's time to move on.
|
|
|
|
Post by NickConwall on Feb 6, 2010 23:59:03 GMT -5
yeah there is definitely alot of material on a duck, I don't think I did too bad of a job skinning him either. when I get the sections (about 15 or so hand size chunks) dried and sorted I'll post a pic of them all so you can see what ya get. I think the best are these lil symmetrical feathers, sorta like a mini (about 1-1.5" from tip to stem) wood duck feather that starts out snow white at the base and gradually gets speckled black until the very tips are jet black.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mike Grinsell on Feb 7, 2010 20:11:09 GMT -5
Don't forget to look for the CDC feathers
|
|
|
|
Post by Tony Medina on Feb 7, 2010 23:26:42 GMT -5
Deff keep the CDC's. If there are any usable puffs try throwing them on in place of poly for posts. I like the way that works out once you can get wrapping the hackle down around it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nick Pionessa on Feb 8, 2010 12:55:21 GMT -5
i just read this again and i now have to question the reason for even keeping the feathers on the hide. i simply pull the feathers, wash them and dry them well and store them in plastic containers (old coffee cans work well) sorted to size. any time you involve un-tanned hide you are inviting vermin. i use a ton of flank feathers a year (1000+) for years now and haven't had a single issue with storing them. add a moth ball or two to each container and they are good for years.
|
|
|
|
Post by NickConwall on Feb 8, 2010 14:48:07 GMT -5
I thought about plucking them all and started to but it seemed that for every decent feather I got out I would ruin the 1 or 2 next it inadvertently which seemed like such a waste. What I ended up doing was skinning the entire duck as one big piece and then cut it up into smaller sections according to the various feather types. Once they were in more manageable pieces I washed the top and bottom halves and scraped off all the meet/fat that was left on and then laid them all out over night to let the feathers dry out. Once they were dry I flipped them flesh/skin side up and salted them up to cure them and let them finish drying out. I guess it is sort of tanning them for lack of a better term and I have had good luck using this method with both a rabbit and pieces of deer hides. Once they are dry & leathery I put each of them in their own zip lock bags and then when I need a feather or two I just open it up and snip them off as needed. Right now they are skin side up & salted but when they dry out I'll take a few pics & put them up on the board. I never thought of the moth balls though, that's a good idea that I'm going to put to good use.
|
|
|
|
Post by johnjarosz(jj) on Feb 8, 2010 19:14:01 GMT -5
There were a few posts in the past discussing the differences between moth balls & moth crystals. Whether you use balls or crystals, make sure they have di-chloro in them (some don't). I think that's the link below, but I'm not sure I did everything right. If not, go to "SEARCH" & type in "moth crystals" posted in the last 60 days. It will help you just in case there are any bugs in your feathers. oakorchardflies.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=comments&thread=2734&page=1 |
|
|
|
Post by NickConwall on Feb 8, 2010 20:14:39 GMT -5
|
|
...get it? funny huh..... 
[/URL] 
