Fulling Mill Stripped Peacock Quills

Quill bodies on both emergers and adults are not fuzzy; they are waxy and variegated.

If you are fishing in spooky spring creeks and gin-clear water for big browns, they are a pretty discriminating bunch. This is where the quill is put to the ultimate test. One of the most dangerous and convincing flies I can tie uses quill bodies. My highest-producing flies are all quilled-bodied. That being said, I use a considerable amount of quills every season for myself and other anglers. 

Quills are among the most believable fibers for imitating natural bodies, which are waxy and variegated. A March Brown is visiting me while I plane cane.

Mayfly adults, emergers, caddis adults, caddis emergers, nymphs, etc., all require segmented bodies, and for selective trout, they present themselves as viable, convincing weapons on the river. For many years, I stripped peacock eyes using bleach and dyed them myself, but as I got older, I became increasingly sensitive to bleach. So I parted ways and now purchase most of them from Fulling Mills. Their quills offer a great selection of colorways that cover the aquatic insect's wardrobe.

Above photo: Holly Hansen Top Coat seals and protects quills without discoloring.

Unfortunately, many UV resins tend to create a “foggy” 

finish and become chalky and matte in time. One coat is all I usually use.

I have used numerous products over the last 30-plus years to coat quills, including Liquid Pledge, acrylic artist mediums, UV glues and resins, and polyurethane glues. What are my final go-to finishes? Holly Hansen top coat clear nail polish. It acts as a glue and a protective coating. It's inexpensive, bulletproof, and readily available on every street corner. Who are the tried-and-true product testers? Women, since 1957. Good enough for me.

Above photo: quill body caddis emerger on a #16 TMC 212Y

Thanks for letting me share!  ~Clint Bova          www.cjbovarods.com