Abstract: A wing former includes a pair of cooperating, spring arm members positioned in overlying spaced relation and movable between an open and closed position for receiving a wing forming material, such as a feather or a thin sheet material for shaping a wing of an artificial fishing lure. Each arm member has a first end portion and a shaped second portion with the first end portions being connected for pivotal movement of the arm members. The wing forming material is inserted between the second end portions. Each second end portion has a configuration corresponding to a preselected wing configuration to be formed. Reference markers on at least one of the shaped end portions facilitate selective positioning of the wing forming material between the shaped end portions. With the material in a preselected position, the shape of the wing is controlled so as to permit construction of a wing that accurately imitates the shape of the wing of an insect of a preselected species.