fly hackle sizes 8 - 12

[redrockgrizzly]

i went to a local fly shop with a large selection of hackle and saddles. is it me or is anyone else finding it hard to find quality hackle in the larger sizes. i have a ton of necks and saddle hackle in sizes 14 - 20. everything now is being genetically engineered. i like to fish march browns, drakes, and large attractor patterns.
what does everyone here use for the larger flies.

 

[JackM]

I only buy the 100s pre-sized packs, but then again I am not a prolific tier, so a pack lasts me a year or two. They sell these in 12s, but I am not sure if they go any higher.

 

[MKern]

The 100's packs do only go as large as a size 12.

Redrock,
I think the only way to get quality dry fly hackle in the larger sizes is to buy a cape or half a cape. Half cape would save you a ton of money and still give you quite enough feathers for quite a few flies. But the problem is that the cape will have the small stuff too, and if your not looking for that stuff it's like wasting money.

 

[MKern]

This is metz hackle in a few colors all sized larger than 12. Not bad for $10.25

hackle link


Sorry for the long address, I'm at work and the link funtion is blocked by the computer.

 

[tomgamber]

I think saying you can find it on cabelas web site would have been better then making the thread a pain in the tuchus to read...

 

[PennsCreek]

the metz 100's are very nice. I just started doing drys and have found the 14 to work pretty well for sizes 12-16. I found them at Bass Pro for $15 and they only had dun, brown and grizzly and only in size 14. So I need to make a trip out to cabelas or order online.

 

[redrockgrizzly]

i may have to take a trip to cabelas to check them out. im just looking for an excuss to go.

 

[MKern]

Tom,
I was going to post extra large pictures, so count you blessings.

 

[tomgamber]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[MKern]

see, now your just posting to get extra stars in your rank.

 

[jayL]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

_stars++;

 

[tomgamber]

Although Jay is giving it his best..we'll never catch Jack...he must be the all-knowingest bestest rated fisher ever!!!!

 

[MKern]

Tom,

Your only a couple smiley/lol posts away from catching Jack. Then you'll be a good fly fisherman too.

Me, I'm only like a quarter the fisherman Jack is, but I'm only a third as good as you (don't tell JayL, but I'm not considering him in the running).

 

[MKern]

Sorry for getting this thread off topic. I hate when people do that.

Look at the plus side, I get another post. (I need to go fishing).

 

[jayL]

MKern wrote:
don't tell JayL, but I'm not considering him in the running

BULL

CRAP!

You think I'm posting all of this awesome information (I gained it as I got more stars) for my health?????

Some people.

No, really. I have a desk job, and our codebase takes at least 5 minutes to compile and load. sometimes, there just isn't anything else to do in that time. That's where my awesome fly fishing skill and knowledge comes from.

 

[MKern]

Well, all you had to do is ask Jay.

 

[RLeeP]

Another source of these larger hackles is the old standby, the india neck. If you can find somebody that still handles them.

Hook and Hackle still carries them, I'm pretty sure.

A good imported neck will have a lot of pretty good feathers in the size range you seek. Actually, some are surprisingly high quality in terms of feather stiffness and the like.

And the price is reasonable for the most part, 6-10 bucks per neck.

here's yet another source:

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/rooster-necks-hackle/620444.aspx