There are many ways to mount a wing on a typical featherwing Atlantic Salmon fly. The method shared here is mostly taken from Bill Hunter with some modifications of my own that suit my style.

Possibly the most important part of the wing is the foundation it is to be mounted on. If the foundation is not smooth and level, the wing may twist, buckle or protrude tips upward. The latter is most common with a body that is larger in diameter than the wing platform, for example, a seal body that doesn't taper off at the throat area.

What you must consider as foundation includes not only the tie-down area for body, tinsel and hackle materials, but also underwing stems and barbs. Voice of experience strongly urges to not cut off underwing waste until the main wing is mounted. If removed in advance, often the main wing will roll forward and down, forcing the tips up and ultimately crumpling what could have been a smooth, even wing, particularly on the left slip. This is due to the thread under pressure sliding suddenly off and forward of the short platform that prematurely trimmed underwing butts establishes.

To help achieve a smooth foundation, a flat, untwisted thread is preferable. Wrapping a monocord type thread, such as Danville's Fly-Master 6/0, is easier for me to get flat than some of the new threads now available. As a righthand tier, I must take into account that Fly-Master comes slightly twisted to begin with, plus every wrap I make with the bobbin puts a clockwise twist in the thread. By counterspinning the bobbin, then enhancing the twist by running it through a pinched thumbnail and finger pad, I can clearly see the presence of any twist. Careful placement of materials that need to be secured can evenly and smoothly be distributed with flat thread wraps. Use as few thread wraps as possible to avoid bulk and lumps. Two slightly separated flat, firm wraps are far more secure than ten wraps directly on top of one another.

In marrying the barbs that make up the main wing, they should be equal in shape, taper and texture. In the wing strip as a whole, the angle at the tip, width at the tip and width at the mounting point should be the same. If similar wing materials are not used on both sides, not only will the wing look out of proportion, but also may not mount properly. Avoid, for instance, using soft, well-tapered barbs of turkey on one side and untapered barbs from the tip of the feather on the other. Also, note the thickness /texture at the base of the barbs when trimmed. If the right strip is larger and coarser or finer and smaller than the left, select another feather so they match. If the strip on one side, when cut at the rachis, is 4" long and the other strip is 2" long, beware. The useful part of the 4" barbs when tied in will be in an area of much softer and finer texture than the 2" barbs.

When pairing the married feather strips to mount, be sure to pre-hump the slips individually to match themselves as well as the desired end product. Be certain they are of equal length and width from tip to butt.

As a righthand tier, I hold the slips by their upper edges so that they "cup open" at the bottom, more so toward butts and closing toward tips. Now, humped and cupped, they are lowered down over the underwing and/or body. The slips are held by left index (or middle) finger and thumb at a point such that I can slightly roll my fingers open to accept the tying thread. In other words, .the fingers should be very close to where they need to be in securing the wing with thread. In my case, the tips of my fingers will be about even with the eye, blind eye or return loop. It is hard to describe an exact placement. The size and shape of your fingers dictate that, as much as anything. I prefer not to let the slips go once lowered onto the hook. If handled, they become easily misaligned, and one invariably changes its shape as opposed to the other. If mounted with each curved in different humps, it is extremely difficult to cleanly realign them later. As to placement of the slips with the hook shank, it is preferable to place them level with the upper two thirds of the shank and tightly adjacent to the underwing if present. If there is no underwing, it is preferable to place them a bit higher on the shank. Otherwise, due to the outward arch produced by pressure against the hook, the wings will buckle. If a less three-dimensional look is desired, try to keep the wings as much toward the top of the shank as possible, period. All the above applies whether the hook is blind or loop.

Note the position of the fingers holding the wing onto the fly body. The more vertical the fingers from a true parallel position with the shank, the higher the wing will arch upward. The more level, the lower the wing will lay.