[kjf]

I'm looking for Board feedback on whether or not quill bodies make a difference over "regular" dubbing when it comes down to getting hook-ups.

There's a good reason the Quill Gordon is out there as well as the other variations that it has spawned for different bugs.

My tying list for a spring trip this year, as compiled from my buds' requests, includes red quills for the the time around the Henny hatch. I've had all the materials I need, but I'm wondering if I need to use them and go through the hassle to fill that part of the order.

It is a lot easier to crank out a dozen typical Catskill-style henny dries (males and females) as well as some comparadun/hatstack models in the same color scheme than it is to have to deal with the proper sizing and spacing on the quill wraps that never seem to really want to cooperate.

I know AK Best and others swear by them, but I was interested in getting your guys' thoughts about the quills.

(Prediction: E/G is going to say quills might make a difference in pools/flat water.)

[Dusty Miller]

I'm not sure if it's a whether or not questions so much as a when and where. When fish are being more selective and I'm on slower water, quills seem to work better for me.

[tim_y]

I don't use quill, but have been experimenting with 'hair quill' bodies. I came across it in a magazine a while back. It calls for buoyant hair like moose, and you wrap like a quill. I find it easy to deal with and they look nice. In terms of hookups, I haven't noticed a difference between the two.

[Esopus Guy]

I had a stompin day on the Farmington with them the other day. There are a few reasons to use quill bodies. First,if your tying nymphs they have great segmentation and create a slim profile that's hard to acheive with dubbing,shure you can add wire but when your on pressured water the big boys are hip to beadheads and flash sometimes,and they sink faster.As for dries,again the segmentation IMO is second to none. I find quill bodies easier than dubbing and faster. The trick to getting them to do what you want without them splitting ect is to soak them in water(or put a dozen or so in your mouth while you tie, what I do cause i'll spill the water)and add a brush of Krazy Glue before you wrap them. There is also a product called D's quill and simplifies the process.

[tim_y]

Brandon,

Can you post some pictures of some quill nymphs or at least describe some of the patterns that you tie? Sounds killer. I never thought about the effect on segmentation.

[Esopus Guy]

Do a search on Micro nymphs.But I can post a few as well.

[upinjewett]

Who Knows for sure ? As I 've posted here already, those Flick Variants are a money maker for me !! Like E-Guy said, the segmentation looks right. What triggers them at a certain time and not another time ?, It might just be a certain kind of dimple mark on the water and they are in the mood or not, if your on the df game. Sure will be good to play with it again soon - I just need to get through Le weekend and not get washed
off the great Northern Catskills in the impending deluge !!! After that, I can get my mind around the spring fishing thing.

[Esopus Guy]

Since nothing in nature is one color, the striping you get with quills you can't reproduce with dubbing.No spacing,wrap in touching turns.

[afishinado]

I use quill bodies for dry flies when fishing for fussy trout. As others said, the segmentation effect is second to none. I seldom if ever use quills on nymphs, nearly all nymphs, with the exception of stoneflies, have gills in the abdomen and dubbing helps imitate the gills, especially if it is picked or brushed out.

[Esopus Guy]

Not on nymphs!!!! Ahhhhhh, so much to learn young Jedi. I'll tell the 18-20in Browns that eat em' I feel that while gills give motion and can provide a trigger, nymphs smaller than #14 really don't need them. Does a trout see them? I doubt it. On something like a Stone or an Iso probably. Stoneflies have gillsway more prominant than a BWO for shure!. And adding gills to your smaller bugs WILL affect the sink rate.Now you'll have to add shot that we both know the fish can see. The less junk on your leader the more fish on your line.
PS your you tube link will be deleated.........

[woger]

Esopus Guy,
What about biots for bodies, have you used them. Another material that's supposed to be good is peccary. Body glass can also give a good segmentation effect.

[Esopus Guy]

I do use quills/biots for bodies. Actually some of my best producers as of late,maybe I just fish them harder because of the confidence I've gained in them or I just become a bit better fisherman.
I'm not familliar with those materials. I'll have to investigate them. I have however been experamenting with Stretch Flex from Hareline.Using two different shades and wrapped together gives a very quill esq. apperance. Bonus here is that's it's rubber and can be found in craft shops being sold for stringing beads. It's a round rubber like most of us are familliar with but it's made up of many "sub strands" which can be split apart for whatever size pattern.

I think we may be getting off course here as I beleive this thread was pertaining to dries. I'll talk bugs all day but i think we are supposed to be helping KJF out.

Long and short, Quills catch fish. Will they catch you more fish? That's up to you. It's about more than just the pattern your throwin!

[afishinado]

esopus guy, on 12 March 2010 - 01:19 PM, said:

Not on nymphs!!!! Ahhhhhh, so much to learn young Jedi. I'll tell the 18-20in Browns that eat em' I feel that while gills give motion and can provide a trigger, nymphs smaller than #14 really don't need them. Does a trout see them? I doubt it. On something like a Stone or an Iso probably. Stoneflies have gillsway more prominant than a BWO for shure!. And adding gills to your smaller bugs WILL affect the sink rate.Now you'll have to add shot that we both know the fish can see. The less junk on your leader the more fish on your line.
PS your you tube link will be deleated.........

There are a lot of ways to catch fish...lol. I really like dubbed bodies for nymphs. Dubbing is cheap, easy to tie, and can be easily mixed to achieve any color. My favorite nymph of all time is the Hares Ear, tied with the guard hairs brushed out. That fly has been successful in fooling fish for a 100 years, probably because of the movement it has in the water. Another classic is the Pheasant tail nymph, the fine fibers of the PT also create movement.

BTW, stoneflies do not have gills on their abdomen, their gills are concentrated in the thorax region and legs up front (see illustration below). Most SF patterns have a tightly wound and segmented abdomen and a dubbed thorax picked out. Quills work well for these patterns.

As for dries, my pet patterns do use quill bodies to fool fussy fish. They are a little harder to tie, but well worth the effort. I've also been using biots a lot lately. Easier to find and cheaper. The also do a nice job.

Hopefully the monsoon we are having will subside and not hurt the rivers and streams too bad. Good fishin' to all!

Attached File(s)

•  stonefly_nymph_legs.jpg (46.4K)
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[Esopus Guy]

Gills none the less.....

[Jaydog]

esopus guy, on 12 March 2010 - 05:20 PM, said:

I do use quills/biots for bodies. Actually some of my best producers as of late,maybe I just fish them harder because of the confidence I've gained in them or I just become a bit better fisherman.
I'm not familliar with those materials. I'll have to investigate them. I have however been experamenting with Stretch Flex from Hareline.Using two different shades and wrapped together gives a very quill esq. apperance. Bonus here is that's it's rubber and can be found in craft shops being sold for stringing beads. It's a round rubber like most of us are familliar with but it's made up of many "sub strands" which can be split apart for whatever size pattern.

I think we may be getting off course here as I beleive this thread was pertaining to dries. I'll talk bugs all day but i think we are supposed to be helping KJF out.

Long and short, Quills catch fish. Will they catch you more fish? That's up to you. It's about more than just the pattern your throwin!

I tend to agree with Esopus regarding the biot bodied nymphs. I have caught some of my largest trout on biot bodied nymphs on pressured waters like the delaware. They sink fast and the segmentation seems to fool the larger more fussy trout. Here is a pic of a biot bodied BWO nymph.

[Esopus Guy]

Hydrodynamics my dear Watson. And it sounds likefew people throw them which is always a plus in my book. "You would never throw something like that" Then that's what I'm tying on.