Mayfly Wings and the use of hen tips

Above photo: Most of my adult mayfly duns I tie using hen tips; they are less air-resistant than CDC wings and tend to keel more consistently once they land in the surface film. This #16 March Brown exhibits a more traditional approach but uses a beefed-up Kapok thorax for maximum floatation.

If you Google “adult mayfly wing patterns,” you will quickly observe how surprisingly scarce the somewhat traditional use of hen tip wings has become. Some of my fly-tying friends, as well as I, have noticed this decrease over the last few decades. The popular use of CDC for winging material has taken the front seat from some of these tried-and-true winging methods and materials. I'm going to discuss the merits of hen tips for mayfly wings.

Above photo: A hen tip spinner, notice how the Kapok thorax secures 

the wings. It will also provide floatation and splay the four turns of hackle once finished.

In 1992, I watched A.K. Best tie in a pair of hen tips on one of his legendary quilled mayfly dun patterns. I quickly adopted his technique using pullet necks. I then began dying my own Hen capes and necks in tandem with rooster capes to get a more consistent visual cadence in the materials. Often, you see color discrepancies between the hackle, tailing, and wings, which has always bugged the hell out of me, no pun intended. Because I dye all my own materials in large dye baths, I get consistent color uniformity. Because I sell certain fly patterns, it actually makes life much simpler and economical because I can control everything using white necks, both rooster and hen, as well as pheasant quills and stripped rooster quills. I don't have to worry about a depletion of available colors. Controlling your own colors is just another level of the craft that quickly becomes addictive.

Above photo: A completed ginger spinner.

The use of hen necks and capes for winging is much more economical, period. CDC has gotten outrageously expensive, and honestly, there is a place for CDC, but it is not the be-all and end-all material for me for many applications. I met with a group of younger fly tyers about a month ago, and I was surprised that none of them even knew how to tie in a pair of hen tip wings. I asked them what they used, and they all unanimously replied “CDC,” which is what inspired this entry. I always keep an open mind about new methods, but I also don't forget what has consistently worked for me for decades.

Above photo: These hen capes were dyed specifically for 

adult March Browns (left) and Baetis (right) are a dusky, subtle gray-green.

Hen capes range in price between twenty and thirty dollars US. Each cape will make well over 100 flies with winging; double that number if you use it for soft hackles. A pack of premium CDC I can easily burn through in a few tying sessions, and both scarcity, quality, and cost typically work against me when we are talking quantities alone.

Most of my adult mayfly duns I tie using hen tips; they are less air-resistant than CDC wings and tend to keel more consistently once they land in the surface film. By “air resistant,” I mean they are easily turned over on 5x and 6x tippets and will not collapse fine leaders in mid-flight. Once you master tying them hen tip wings, the possibilities are endless when it comes to tying up adult imitations. 

Above photo: A #18 Cripple dun on a TMC 531 short shank.

Hen tips are very durable when tied in correctly and dry quickly. Pairing and tying in hen tip wings takes practice, but it pays major dividends on the water. The silhouette is very believable, like the naturals, and over the last 35 years, I have gained incredible confidence in these adult patterns. As we all know, if you have confidence in your flies, you will always fool more fish! 

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