Oliver1329
Life of the Party
My friend just shot a turkey and gave me a ton of the feathers and I'm not really sure what to tie with them. What are some good purposes for turkey feathers? Any flies that you like to tie with turkey feathers?
Turkey Feathers
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Fan/tail/wing feathers: Wing cases for nymphs(hares ear). Knot for jointed legs, similar to pheasant tail fibers, paired wings for classic style wet flies, wingcase/wings for hopper patterns like the classic Dave's hopper or parachute hopper.
Oliver1329
Life of the Party
Thanks guys!
After steelheading a stretch of an E. Wash. river, I discovered a pile of small feathers I knew to be from a wild turkey and after a short search found the remains of the bird that had been eaten by a critter of some sort and there was a bunch of tail feathers which I removed from the carcass. I washed the maggots off and put them in a plastic bag that had contained a slice of pizza. I had to eat the pizza right then so I could use the bag. Once home I gave them a borax bath and put them in the freezer for two weeks. I took them out to let them thaw and then stuck them back in the freezer for another two weeks. I then forgot all about them until one day my wife said what the hell are these doing in the freezer. I figured they were safe to use but I still kept them in a sealed plastic bag. Just don't want the wrong kind of bugs in my tyiing room. I do this any time a friend gives me feathers of any kind.
This fly caught so many fish for me last year. Probably more fish on this than any other pattern.
The body is turkey tail fibers, basically used just like you would pheasant. I don't use a counter wrapped wire, cause I think it takes away from the cool mottling already in the feather. But, the fibers are pretty weak, so I put a layer of super glue down before I wrap them.
Tail is Coq de Leon with a tiny little piece of iris thread cut short as a little flash/hot spot. Wingcase and legs are elk (you can use deer too). Coat the wingcase with medium UV resin for durability. Thorax is diamond dub in cream. Finished off with a tiny collar of olive/brown ice dub. I tie em in size 12 - 18 with a tungsten bead (size 14 pictured below). You can change the bead color, Thorax color, ice dub color, elk/deer hair color to suit your needs. I have some olive dyed turkey so I tie them in Olive too and they slay. Check out kool-aid dying, you could easily dye some of your own turkey too.
I'm telling you, this fly needs to be in your box, in the dozens of dozens.
The body is turkey tail fibers, basically used just like you would pheasant. I don't use a counter wrapped wire, cause I think it takes away from the cool mottling already in the feather. But, the fibers are pretty weak, so I put a layer of super glue down before I wrap them.
Tail is Coq de Leon with a tiny little piece of iris thread cut short as a little flash/hot spot. Wingcase and legs are elk (you can use deer too). Coat the wingcase with medium UV resin for durability. Thorax is diamond dub in cream. Finished off with a tiny collar of olive/brown ice dub. I tie em in size 12 - 18 with a tungsten bead (size 14 pictured below). You can change the bead color, Thorax color, ice dub color, elk/deer hair color to suit your needs. I have some olive dyed turkey so I tie them in Olive too and they slay. Check out kool-aid dying, you could easily dye some of your own turkey too.
I'm telling you, this fly needs to be in your box, in the dozens of dozens.
