Schlappen??

[mike_richardson]

While researching my new found love of Musky flies I am seeing call outs for these feathers. I have watched quite a few videos and this seems like a pretty neat material to mess with. Looks like it can add you a lot of movement.

I was wondering if there are any other uses for these besides big streamers? The fibers look pretty long on them but imagine you can find some smaller stuff for buggers.

Just wondering what is out there. I am going to order in a pile of musky/pike fly material here soon, and was trying to see if there are any flies "trout related" that I can also use this for.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[GenCon]

Mike, as far as schalpppen typically the fibers are way too long for buggers. IMO. I have used many for salt water flys. But they are still streamer types.

GenCon

 

[SteveG]

I love using schlappen for buggers, crayfish, and large soft hackles. The fibers are more webby than saddle hackle.

 

[RCFetter]

I've tried tying with schlappen and as gencon noted, the fibers are too long, at least in my opinion.

Otherwise, tctrout has a video on schlappen:

 

[nomad_archer]

I really like the looks of the schlappen bugger once it gets wet.

 

[PennKev]

For larger streamers, schlappen is the way to go. You can sometimes substitute webby neck or saddle hackles. but schlappen is the best materiel for long, soft, palmered hackles on big streamers.

Hareline Dubbing offers a "grizzly soft hackle" which can be used in a similar fashion on smaller trout streamers. It seems to just be loose grizzly hen saddle feathers or something similar but these feathers are typically far to small for large streamers.

To get into certain types of tying such as big streamers, steelhead flies, saltwater etc. You will need to buy a bunch of new materials. They all use key materials that are not common in nymphs, dry flies, or traditional streamers. You pretty much have to start from scratch accumulating a material selection. Marabou, bucktail, and some flash materials are probably all you already have any real variety of already. The big streamers that are the fad these days call for a big selection of synthetics, flash, rabbit strips, beads, cones, wire, eyes, dyed deer hair, sculpin wool, etc., etc.

Substituting materials only goes so far before your flies all start becoming the same and looking/fishing nothing like the pattern you intended to tie.

You will find that you can use a fair number of the materials you need for large streamers on smaller flies, but you will also find that some materials are just too bulky.

Kev

 

[nfrechet]

schlappen fibers can be used for tails, wing cases, legs, throat hackle, wrapped bodies (if the fibers are long enough) etc

be creative. experiment