Greetings, gentlemen. I am in my 78th year and have been tying flies since I was 14 years of age. I have no idea when the Grim Reaper will scythe me down but our two children desperately want me to tie up a display case or shadow box of classic flies for them and then our grandchildren to remember me by when I finally depart this earthly jurisdiction.To this end, I need to buy some genuine Indian Crow but not from the USA as postal charges are outrageous. Not a lot, just a few feathers will do. What have you, and how much, please?
Invermarnoch
Just had a look at the offerings on eBay and I would definitely sub the stuff.
This may be a long shot but are there any pet stores around you that may have an Orange Wing Amazon Parrot? I had one for 20 years and they as well as other exotic birds have similar orange feathers that would make decent subs.
This may be a long shot but are there any pet stores around you that may have an Orange Wing Amazon Parrot? I had one for 20 years and they as well as other exotic birds have similar orange feathers that would make decent subs.
It’s illegal to import, so be careful where you buy from. Ask yourself, where do they come from, how are the birds farmed/hunted and killed?
The stem of Indian Crow can be pretty tough so a substitute can be a good option for ease of tying. These are decent.
www.troutflies.co.uk
The stem of Indian Crow can be pretty tough so a substitute can be a good option for ease of tying. These are decent.
Indian Crow
Indian crow fly tying feathers are used in Fly Tying as a Red Crow Substitute.
www.troutflies.co.uk
They are almost impossible to get hold of for anything approaching a sensible price. Some people have a plentiful supply but hoard them as an investment. I have around ten feathers that I keep for special flies for special gifts/occasions.
As mentioned above, Ryan Houston does a good sub feather. Alternatively, you could look at red tanager, red/orange weaver, red/orange bishop feathers.
This is red tanager (I think!) at the front of a Green Highlander I've just finished...
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As mentioned above, Ryan Houston does a good sub feather. Alternatively, you could look at red tanager, red/orange weaver, red/orange bishop feathers.
This is red tanager (I think!) at the front of a Green Highlander I've just finished...
Thank-you one and all for your helpful suggestions. After reading Michael Radencich's books I did use dyed pheasant collars for a while, but then I began to consider the pursuit of perfection, at least in my own case, was verging on OCD so I sold all my rare feathers, carefully gathered over several decades, to other, better tyers of classic salmon flies than I will ever be. Switching my efforts to classic Dee and Spey flies after reading the fabulous books by John Shewey and Bob Verveka, I have made a decent fist of some of them. It happens that in my modest collection of "trophies" I have a gut-eyed double Popham adorned with at least five genuine Indian Crow feathers which must be 120 years old, and my goodness, how they still glow. Then I came across the Jock O'Dee in one of these books which specifies an IC tail. I tied it with a dyed pheasant collar a few years ago but unfortunately it has faded somewhat. Revisiting my earlier good intentions, I have decided to mend and make do rather than use another precious heron hackle to tie a new specimen, so here is the master plan: with careful manipulation and under substantial magnification, I shall liven up the offending tail with fine-tipped permanent felt pens in the appropriate colours. This approach will I think bring sufficient satisfaction to keep my OCD at bay. I may well adorning the remnants of my dyed pheasant collars similarly, to avoid further gnashing of my ageing dentition! Thank-you all again, especially Fruin, who clearly put a lot of thought into his reply!
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