Spirit River UV2 Mallard Flank

A classic material that can be used for anything from dry fly wings to emerger legs, Spirit River UV2 Mallard Flank is a material that everyone should keep on hand. These high-quality feathers are from the mallard duck’s flank area and come in a variety of color options, all with excellent barring patterns. Also, with Spirit River’s unique UV2 double-dye process, these feathers display UVF (ultraviolet fluorescence) and UVR (ultraviolet reflectance) wavelengths to increase their attraction to fish. Webby feathers with a variety of different sizes in each bag, Spirit River’s UV2 Mallard Flank Feathers are a versatile addition to everyone’s material collection.

Uses

Mallard Flank Feathers are truly versatile and have been used in patterns for decades. These feathers are a popular choice for traditional Catskill Dry Fly wings, but that only scratches the surface of their applications. Spirit River’s UV2 Mallard Flank is an excellent choice for things like tails and legs on nymphs, wings on wet flies, upright or down wings on dry flies, claws or shellbacks on crayfish, crabs, and shrimp, looped wing emergers, large soft hackles, wings on streamers, cut wingpads, and even some Spey and salmon flies. A material with a ton of different uses, Spirit River’s UV2 Mallard Flank will serve your needs whether you fish saltwater, stillwater, flowing water, or a combination of the three. 

Comparisons

A simple comparison to make would be Hareline’s Mallard Flank Feathers. Simply put, these are the same feathers without Spirit River’s UV2 double-dye process. However, another common comparison would be the wood duck flank feather. These feathers come from a wood duck and have a beautiful barring pattern just like Mallard Flank feathers, but are quite expensive. These feathers can be used interchangeably, but if you’re looking to get that classic look that comes with using traditional materials, then wood duck is the way to go. On the other hand, if you’re just looking to stock your box and save a few bucks, Mallard Flank is the superior choice...and trust us, the fish won’t know the difference in feathers. 

Example Flies

Mallard Flank feathers are very versatile with countless uses, but a few of the most popular patterns that use these feathers are:

• Light Cahill Dry Fly
• Light Cahill Wet Fly
• Dark Cahill Dry Fly
• Dark Cahill Wet Fly
• Zug Bug Nymph
• Zoo Cougar Streamer