Hackles

[charliepff]

Hi Everyone,

I have been looking at the article posted for hackle and still can not figure out what to buy. I tie a lot of wooly buggers for smallmouth bass, and will be tying some dries for trout. What are the most common types of hackle I need for these. I do have partridge for soft hackle flies. I am at point where I need to restock and want to order the right stuff.

Also, does anyone have an easy variant for the prince nymph. It is kicking my rear end trying to tie that thing.

Thanks for you help everyone.

 

[jeremymcon]

For wooly buggers you just want to buy "wooly bugger" hackle or some other strung saddle hackle. It's cheap and comes dyed in lots of colors. It's not nice dry fly hackle, but it doesn't need to be, and actually you don't really want it to be for wooly buggers.

For dry flies, it's your choice of a rooster cape or a rooster saddle in whichever colors you want. Grizzly is pretty standard and useful for lots of flies. Then most tiers also end up with a dun hackle, a brown, and maybe a ginger.

If you're looking for decent but inexpensive dry fly hackles, I really liked the stuff I bought from Collins hackle farm. They have a website, but you have to order by phone/mail. I bought a ginger rooster cape from them, their lowest grade, for $30! It's actually a nice enough cape for my purposes. Nice thing about Collins is that they include the saddle hackle from the bird they harvested the cape from. Some of the hackles from the saddle are dry fly quality and some are only going to be good for wooly buggers. Pretty good deal!

 

[nfrechet]

Google "tak's go2 prince" for an easier version of the prince nymph

what problems are you having?

 

[Dale49]

Charlie,

Several years ago, I switched brown and gray antron for the tails and white antron for the wing as opposed to biots to tie Prince patterns. Also, I use peacock ice dubbing for the body as opposed to peacock herl. I can tie a nymph quicker.

Based on my experience - this pattern is just as effective as the original pattern with biots and herl.

Dale

 

[ebroesicke]

I say get a cape, not saddle for dry flies, especially if you are just starting out. The difference is that the cape will have a large range of feather sizes, and a saddle will have a very narrow range. And for the most part, the difference in price between capes is how many feathers are on the cape. Don't be afraid of a lower 'grade', as it will probably have more than enough feathers for your needs.

 

[charliepff]

Thanks guys for the advice. I watched the video on the prince nymph and I can make that work. I have been trying tie them in smaller sizes and I have a hard time with the goose biots and positioning them. And I seem to crowd with two much material right away. I keep breaking the pea **** hurl too.

I will most likely just buy a cape since I tie various sizes for myself. I will get the brown and the grizzly since these seem to cover everything. I have seen the pseudo hackle but I am unsure about trying it for wooly buggers.

 

[MKern]

If you choose to stick with white biots for the prince, this them in facing forward and then fold them back when you finish the fly.

 

[MKern]

For buggers I like strung hackle.

For dries I prefer the 100's packs. I know it ends up being more expensive than a cape or rooster saddle but quick and easy. Plus I bought mine years ago (when they were cheap) and have only ever used up one package.

 

[PennKev]

For someone just getting into dry fly hackle I would recommend staying away from any saddle that is not marketed as a "dry fly saddle" or similar terminology. It's easy to dump $30+ on a saddle that has feather with barbs too big for most dry flies and too small and stiff for woolsey bugger's.

Even if you find a true dry fly saddle that you are interested in, be sure to find out what size range it has. If it is mostly midge sized feather or mostly larger feather it won't be terribly useful, at least not for someone just starting to build up their inventory of tying materials.

My advice would be to buy necks first and once you figure out what sizes you use most, get a saddle that has appropriate sized feathers to replenish your supply of hackle.

Kev

 

[SteveG]

To save some money, see if another local tier wants to split some capes or saddles. Also, especially since you're just starting out. Don't be put off by the price of good dry fly hackle. Trying to tie with poor quality hackle will only make tying more difficult, and frustrate you. I'd recommend Collins or Whiting.

 

[RCFetter]

I'm a novice at fly tying but here's a brief write-up on dry fly
hackle.

I never bought anything from this place (The Feather Emporium) , but I've heard he has a good reputation and good prices.

Read the top of the page and then scroll down a little to this paragraph:

Tips... Rooster Cape or Rooster Saddle?

 

[LetortAngler]

when im looking at dry fly hackle, I look to see how many barbules are within a certain length of hackle to ensure its will float a dry fly well/ as well as the stiffness. Ill second what Steve said

 

[gfen]

You should goto a store or a web vendor.

You should then spend the $15 or whatever it costs now for the "whiting variety pack." Actually, it's $19, and Cabela's still carries it, this link probably fails.

Anyways, that'll cover you for an infinite amount of possibilities, depending on what's in the bag, for things like streamers and wetflies and things you don't need to utilize expensive dry fly feathers on.

Then, spend the too-much money someone wants for a "dry fly cape." You can spend as much as you want and on as many colours as you feel compelled to buy, but frankly, you'll be just fine buying on in grizzly, and you'll be fine with bronze or commercial grade, etc.

You don't need to count barbs or anyhting silly like that. Just buy a cheap dry fly neck and make flies. You can get into obsessive-compulsive comparisions later.

Also, whomever recommended antron for dry fly wings and shucks, you've got it slightly wrong. Antron wicks up water. Switch out to poly yarn which is somewhat hydrophobic and will thus float longer.

 

[LetortAngler]

Hmm, if your looking at different hackles and wanting a a higher floating hackle, some of the better ones have a higher density of barbules. Just something to check out when your comparing. And it's not written in stone last time I checked that you can't use Antron for a wing or shuck.

 

[charliepff]

Thanks everyone. That is awesome advice. Thanks Gfen. I am probably going to go your route.