Selecting Saddle Hackle

[tctrout]

As promised, here is my newest YouTube tutorial on the process of selecting saddle hackle. Feel free to post anything additional you've experienced, or other quality hackle providers.

Thanks!

TC

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmVoPEN4EcE[/youtube]

 

[RCFetter]

Hi Tim and thanks for the video.

I just started tying in March so your video is appreciated. I also like how you organized your videos into a single site (linked in another thread).

 

[Rolf]

Tim as always, good stuff.

Thanks!

 

[troutpoop]

Well done and Thanks

 

[tctrout]

Thanks for all of the positive comments everyone!

TC

 

[jeremymcon]

Thanks tim. Feathers are still a little bit confusing to me, even though I've been trying flies for a little over a year now. The next thing is really like to figure out is tying dry fly wings. Like, to tie an Adams, I've just been using Grizzly rooster hackle tips that I've been saving every time I use a Grizzly hackle. But I think the pattern calls for hen. I just don't know whether to buy a hen saddle or a hen neck. Then there are turkey flats. And can you use hen saddles for soft hackles? Then also turkey tail feathers are an option for dry fly wings. Just lots of options. So maybe I'd suggest a video on the uses of soft hackles or winging dry flies?

 

[afishinado]

jeremymcon wrote:
Thanks tim. Feathers are still a little bit confusing to me, even though I've been trying flies for a little over a year now. The next thing is really like to figure out is tying dry fly wings. Like, to tie an Adams, I've just been using Grizzly rooster hackle tips that I've been saving every time I use a Grizzly hackle. But I think the pattern calls for hen. I just don't know whether to buy a hen saddle or a hen neck. Then there are turkey flats. And can you use hen saddles for soft hackles? Then also turkey tail feathers are an option for dry fly wings. Just lots of options. So maybe I'd suggest a video on the uses of soft hackles or winging dry flies?

The best choice for wings when tying traditional, aka Catskill dry flies are hen hackles. The most suitable hen hackles are the exact opposite of the best dry fly hackle. Hen hackle should be roundish or oval in shape and have web throughout the feather.

A hen neck would be the thing to buy to find these feathers. The good thing is this type of hackle is usually very common and cheap to buy. Also, a hen neck can be used from hackle on many soft hackle flies.

With all that said, I rarely tie and fish traditional dry flies. I find parachutes (I often use poly yarn as the post) more effective fish catchers. They sit in the water a little lower and can imitate a dun a well as a spinner.

I do occasionally fish traditional dries when a little movement needs to be imparted on a fly and a higher floating pattern is better used to draw a strike.

Also I tie a lot of patterns as emergers with a CDC or snowshoe hare wing.

 

[jeremymcon]

Ok so if I'm buying some hen feathers, I'd probably buy a dun hen neck, a Grizzly hen neck, and maybe some sort of speckled hen neck. That should cover most of what I need for dry fly wings and soft hackles, right?

 

[afishinado]

jeremymcon wrote:
Ok so if I'm buying some hen feathers, I'd probably buy a dun hen neck, a Grizzly hen neck, and maybe some sort of speckled hen neck. That should cover most of what I need for dry fly wings and soft hackles, right?

Yep. If possible, try to find a fly shop that sells necks and pick them out for yourself. The shorter and webbier, the better.

 

[tctrout]

I apologize for the late reply, Jeremy; I have been on vacation.

And by the way, great questions!

It seems like some have been addressed already in this thread, but hackle is confusing for sure. My suggestion would be to call some of the businesses I mentioned in the video and ask them for advice. They know how to match the correct material based on what you are trying to tie, and would be an excellent resource. Plus, you can extend your fly tying "circle," in a sense.

Additionally, I appreciate the suggestions for videos. I featured soft hackle flies in a lot of my videos, which is why I have an entire page dedicated to those patterns on Trout & Feather; the link to them is: http://www.troutandfeather.com/fly-tying-videos/#/soft-hackles/

Continuing, I have a video in which I exclusively offer suggestions for Hungarian Partridge soft hackle (I placed it below), which I recommend first, with hen hackle a close second (my video for hen hackle techniques follows). I don't have a video for winging dry flies, but I appreciate the suggestion! I believe that there may be one out there, but I couldn't find out for this post. If I do, I will reply again.

I hope the following videos help, and thanks for the input. Good luck with everything!

TC

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv09Z7CaNz0&list=UUYiYjUcBw2AS_kzMq4S-rlQ[/youtube]

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ZxoSMClQM[/youtube]

jeremymcon wrote:
Thanks tim. Feathers are still a little bit confusing to me, even though I've been trying flies for a little over a year now. The next thing is really like to figure out is tying dry fly wings. Like, to tie an Adams, I've just been using Grizzly rooster hackle tips that I've been saving every time I use a Grizzly hackle. But I think the pattern calls for hen. I just don't know whether to buy a hen saddle or a hen neck. Then there are turkey flats. And can you use hen saddles for soft hackles? Then also turkey tail feathers are an option for dry fly wings. Just lots of options. So maybe I'd suggest a video on the uses of soft hackles or winging dry flies?