Hackle Stacker

[phiendWMD]

This is something I've always wanted to tie and never have been able. I've watched at least half a dozen different videos over and over. I learned to tie parachute flies thinking it was step in the right direction. I seem to struggle with the thread vs poly yarn? I can wrap poly with a feather good enough to end up with a fly I'll fish. Not so much with thread. And if I get lucky, then I struggle to tie thread down into the head.
Does anyone have any advice that could help me please?

 

[Facemelted]

This is actually a very good instructional on the hackle stacker. Instead of poly yarn the tyer uses something a bit thinner in diameter - Mono. I personally use flex floss as it's very forgiving and you can manipulate it very easily. Good thing to keep in mind is take your time when doing the hackle and don't overdo it with turns.

 

[DrownedFish]

I don't see any reason why you can't tie a hackle stacker with poly yarn. I've done it before and it works just fine!

 

[JimNovo]

It’s definitely a technique that requires practice and would be easier with a third hand!

Mono, a thicker thread like Coats and Clark will all work. Have fun experimenting!!

 

[phiendWMD]

This is further than I was before.

 

[albatross]

FlyFishFood has an updated vid on the hackle stacker using spanflex (they must have got the idea from @Facemelted ) starts at about 3 minutes.

 

[Facemelted]

FlyFishFood has an updated vid on the hackle stacker using spanflex (they must have got the idea from @Facemelted ) starts at about 3 minutes.

Nice! Maybe they did

 

[EchoRidgeElder]

I have tied several hackle stackers using the spanflex method. It works great in my opinion.

 

[poopdeck]

Your post sent me down the hackle stacker road and I’ve been experimenting with different paraloop material. The thorax is a little large on this one but overall it will fish just fine. I did a lot of testing and learned a few things about paraloops. First thing I learned is that a gallows tool is a total gimmick and unnecessary.

The most important thing I learned is paraloops are way easier to accomplish with 4lb mono, 3/0 uni thread or hands down unquestionably the best………Spanflex. The thinner threads like 8/0 Uni and 70 UTC and smaller tended to cut the hackle stem and the loop was harder to control with the finger. The stretchy spanflex was far easier to control while wrapping the hackle, the hackle wrapped better around the spanflex and the soft spanflex did not cut through the hackle stem. I tried it with a number of different hackles and none of the stems broke. There is little waste with the spanflex and you can get many flies from a single length of spanflex. Better yet, I bought spanflex for leg material and hate it as a leg material. Looks like it’s now paraloop post material and the two packs of spanflex I have will be a lifetime supply of paraloop posts. I will keep working on dialing it in as long as it stays cold outside.

Hook - Size 12 emerger
Thread - 8/0 Olive Uni
Shuck - Antron sparkle dubbing, hares ear color
Body - PMD colored turkey biot
Hackle - Dun on a spanflex loop
Thorax - UV peacock herl

 

[EchoRidgeElder]

Well Poop, in my humble opinion, that fly looks great. And yes, I am sure that it will fish and catch fish also.

I am glad that my short reply inspired you. I actually got the idea from "Fly Fish Food." A fly called the Mother Shucker.

Enjoy and keep working at it.

 

[falcon]

I dont think the gallows tool is a total gimmick but it is totally unnecessary. Not worth the set up time or the cost. I use a strand of mono. I imagine the spanflex would work well. I like the look of hackle stackers and they can represent a dun or a spinner. My exprerience using them is mixed. No difference compared to other patterns but I have not used them as much. They do give a different look which sometimes makes a difference for reasons only the fish know. They look cool. I like them ... cool idea.



..

 

[WWKimba]

Here is a series of flies I came up with a couple years ago As anyone who has participated in my swaps know I'm the king of poly! (Of course growing up in the 70's I was the prince of polyester!)

STP = Split Thread Poly

Style 1 - upright, more as a post, Style 2 - Same as 1 but then squished, more like a parachute hackle

DLP = dubbing loop poly

DLP #1 shows how the fly best works, the others are a bit over hackled. To tie you can use a combination of natural fibers (dry fly barbs, coq de leon, moose hair or whatever you have on hand and ~2 lb mono for the paraloop material (off-set when tied in to help make a smoother transition/taper OR I also used bristles from a simple paint brush (a nice 3" brush I got from one of those $ stores with a nice dun color!
Bring the paraloop material up at a 90-degree angle at the back of the thorax when tying. The wrap the poly "chenille" up and down and up the parapost - make sure to measure it to the length of the thorax first, tie down the parapost just behind the eye - I do to wraps behind then to thraed wraps in front of the parapost and pull up slightly to tighten the material, cut the excess post and fininsh the thread head.

I liked it because I could add some attractor colors to the hackle mix. You'll see a couple of the flies have some orange in the mix. Orange comes into its own when the sun is low in the sky - if the sky is orange the fish will bite orange! I'm sure it will work for the other colors as well:

- lime - around vegetation
- grey -for dark overcast, rainy days
- yellow - mid-day and if yellow stones are in the air
- black - for the night!
- blue - for the last moments of dusk
- pink - late morning/late afternoon when the sky is pinkish
- white - late evenings when the miller moths come out
- brown - for between afternoon and evening
- cream - VERY early morning, when the sun is just rising
- light grey/smoke grey - when its cloudy but bright, the days that a photographer loves!
- green/red/brown (royal combo) - just a good all around attractor combo of colors - hard NOT to over hackle though!

Have fun with this way of tying! And try to add any new colors to the mix.

Kim