Royal Coachman Dry

Place the hook in the vise and secure the thread behind the eye. Run the thread back about one and a half or two hook eyes in length. This will be the tie in point for the wing.

Prepare the quill slip wing by clipping two sections of wing fibers from a matched pair of duck or goose quills. The quill segments should be one hook gap in width.

Align the tips of the quill slips with the curves facing away from each other.

Measure the wing so that it is one hook shank long.

Tie in the wing slips on top of the hook shank, take an initial pinch wrap to secure the wing and then take additional wraps towards the bend of the hook. Do not take wraps in front of the initial wrap or the wing will become distorted.

Clip off the butt ends of the quills as a angle and cover with thread. You have the option to stand the wings up now, I prefer to leave them forward to give me more room to create a body.

Prepare the tail by removing 6 to 8 tippets from a feather, keeping the ends aligned. Measure the tail to be one hook shank in length and tie in. End with the thread at the start of the bend.

Secure one or two peacock herls by their tips at the start of the bend. Cover the butt ends and remove the excess. End with the thread opposite the barb.

Begin forming the body by taking 4 or 5 wraps with the peacock herl until you reach the thread, secure the peacock herl. Advance the thread the desired tag width, covering the peacock herl and forming a smooth under body in preparation for the floss. The tag length is typically a similar size as the body parts or slightly smaller.

Catch in a length of floss and cover the butt end, it might be easier to gently pull the floss until the butt ends are beneath the thread instead of trimming the excess. Secure with a few tight wraps and then advance the thread until it is at the tags width.

Wrap the floss along the underbody to create the tag, secure with thread.

Fold the herl back towards the tag and secure, then run the thread along the shank to the stopping point for the body.

Complete the body by taking another 4 or 5 wraps with the herl and then secure with thread.

Trip off the butt ends of the herl and create a smooth underbody to prepare for the hackle.

Stand up the wing by taking wraps in front to create a small dam of thread, and taking wraps between the wings to separate them.

Prepare and tie in the hackle behind the wing.

Takes wraps of hackle behind the wing until you reach it, then gently pull the wing back and take wraps directly in front of it. Secure the hackle leaving a little space to form a small head.

Whip finish and apply head cement.