Fulling Mill Stripped Peacock Quills
Click to enlarge photos
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. (click on any of images to enlarge)
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 for a new midge rod.
Above photo: A quiver of March Brown emergers with
quilled bodies on TMC 206BL hooks #16-20
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: A green quill on a caddis emerger provides a
convincing waxy variegation pattern
Above photo: Adult duns, like a simple Hendrickson with a gray-quilled body
paired with hen-tip wings, becomes a deadly imitation.
Above photo: Loon Outdoors UV Clear Fly Finish protects quills without discoloring.
Unfortunately, many other 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? Loon Outdoors UV Clear Fly Finish in the “flow” or “thin” viscosities. This particular UV glue works the most consistently for me and is easy to control on smaller quill bodies.
Above photo: quill body fast water caddis emerger on a #16 TMC 212Y
Thanks for letting me share! ~Clint Bova www.cjbovarods.com
