Soft hackle/wet flies question

A

AFISHN

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Joined
Feb 13, 2009
Messages
685
Location
SE PA
I am going to try to fish soft hackle flies,almost exclusively, for the rest of the year.The one exception to this objective is if there is some meaningful hatch going on ,and the fish are taking on top.

I recently received a fly fishing catalog with an impressive assortment of soft hackle and wet fly choices that are very modestly priced.Since I only have a few soft hackles,I'd like some input /suggestions on which flies and sizes I should consider buying.

For background,I fish the LR,WB,Main Stem primarily and have just started fishing for wild fish on smaller feeder streams in PA and NYS

I am particularly interested in which soft hackles are suggested for Sulfurs,ISO's, and BWO
Thanks
Tom
 
AFISHN wrote:
I am going to try to fish soft hackle flies,almost exclusively, for the rest of the year.
Tom
Click to expand...

Neat experiment. You might even find that during hatches the soft hackles out-fish conventional dries.

Anyway, I don't know what patterns to suggest, but keep us informed of your experiment by occasionally re-freshing this thread as the year progresses - kinda like a diary or journal thread.
Would be interesting for us to hear about your observations and results. Maybe at the end of the year write up a summary. Something like this.
 
Just buy soft hackle prince nymphs in various sizes - because you KNOW you can't resist.... :cool:
 
I've been almost solely fishing wetflies/soft hackles the past month. Yellow partridge soft hackles work for all sorts of summer hatches and caddis. They're easy to tie and you can buy/tie them in an assortment of colors. Keep your selection simple at first and see how it goes. Sizes I use are mainly 14-18's.

Any yes, you can fish them as a dry.
 
Leadwing coachman. Excellent fly for me. Works great for bwo's and larger sizes for iso's. Use these almost every time out.
 
Don't know how well it would work in the East but during caddis hatches in the West using a 6,8 unweighted marabou muddler as a tippet fly and dancing wet flies on the surface worked very well sometimes.Stolen from the English loch fishing.
 
Soft hackles are very versatile. I generally tie and fish either a hares ear or a PT version both weighted and unweight. For the weighted version I like to tie the hackle in front of the bead, as it keeps the hackle flared nicely. The PT works very well as the nymph/emerger of the sulpher. A killer rig is the soft hackle with a zebra midge dropper.
 
I fish soft hackle 95% of the time. For me they are mainly hare's ear, pheasant tail and princes. I fish them both with and without weight. +1 to the soft hackle with a zebra dropper.
 
I also started fishing soft hackles (I don't bother with winged wets) over the past year and a half. Hare and partridge & grouse, pheasant & partridge, various Pearsalls silk colors & partridge, grouse, or snipe, and one called an Emerald Caddis thats bleached rabbit, peacock heel thorax, and partridge. But my favorite is a sz18 peacock and starling.
 
Thanks for the quick and useful replies.
I will start to order the flies.
I like the idea of keeping a diary and posting successes (as well as failures)
But PLEASE keep the suggestions coming
 
If you ever want to think about tying your own, there's nothing better than soft hackles. Just about every intro tying technique goes into one (more or less), and really, they're quite easy once you gain some dexterity. You really won't save much money, especially if you get 'hooked', but it's lots of fun.
 
You may want to contact these guys. I've talked to them at shows and they are great.

http://www.wetflywaterguides.com/index.html
 
I've always had the most success on a partridge and yellow both weighted and unweighted. You'll find that a lot of the time during hatches you will catch as many or more fish on wet flies.
 
I am another almost exclusive soft hackle guy, and my go to flies are - in this order:

1. Gold ribbed hares ear
2. Partridge & orange
3. Partridge & green
4. Partridge & yellow

I have been meaning to tie a few partridge & peacock, to see how they work.
 
AFISHN wrote:
I am going to try to fish soft hackle flies,almost exclusively, for the rest of the year.The one exception to this objective is if there is some meaningful hatch going on ,and the fish are taking on top.

I recently received a fly fishing catalog with an impressive assortment of soft hackle and wet fly choices that are very modestly priced.Since I only have a few soft hackles,I'd like some input /suggestions on which flies and sizes I should consider buying.

For background,I fish the LR,WB,Main Stem primarily and have just started fishing for wild fish on smaller feeder streams in PA and NYS

I am particularly interested in which soft hackles are suggested for Sulfurs,ISO's, and BWO
Thanks
Tom
Click to expand...


^Cool deal, Tom

If I were fishing SH's for the hatches above, I would try:

Partridge and yellow for sulphurs

Partridge and peacock for Iso's
and/or Partridge and Pheasant (both in size 10 or 12's)

Partridge or Starling and Olive with a peacock collar

I would rib each of the above with fine wire to keep the fly together and add a little flash and attractiveness.

I highly doubt that you will be able to buy the above commercially...time to get a vise and tools and give it a go. SH's are very simple flies since they require only a minimal amount of common material and are not complex.

Good luck on your quest!

Edit: Found some SH recipes
 
Soft hackles are my favorite fly right now. You can fish them so many different ways. I usually fish them like a nymph, weighted with an indicator. Typically I fish two at the same time. When I get to faster water, I removed the indicator and fish them over across and down, like I would a streamer. A lot of times I'll pick up fish in fast shallow water that I would normally pass up.
 
bigslackwater..this may be a bit off topic,but it's my topic :)

1)With the set-up you describe in your post ,do you tie your leader with the classic wet fly droppers or do you attach your intervals at the hook bend of the fly?

2)would you mind describing the usual length of your leader and the spacing of your flies using your technique?
Thanks
Tom
 
Tom, thanks for asking! I'm by no means an expert but I have had some success with soft hackles (more than any other fly).

I almost always tie the dropper off the eye of the hook. I only use the bend of the hook with dry/dropper set up.

As far as leaders go, I hand tie all my leaders with maxima 15lb>12lb >1x (mono tippet)>2x>3x>4x>add 5x if I'm fishing small flies. My leader is usually 9 - 12' long. Each section getting slightly longer as it gets finer down the line. Start with the 15lb maxima at around 1 foot, then blood knot your way down increasing length slightly each section. You'll end up with about 9-12' of leader.

I will tie the first fly on to 4x or 5x depending on fly size and water conditions, or the fish I'm after. Then I attach a piece of tippet 1x smaller to the eye of that fly. The length is usually around 18 inches. Tie on your dropper fly, another soft hackle, usually a smaller fly. Some of mine are basically a zebra midge with hackle. Put a piece of split shot in the middle between the two flies. (Weight is dependent on water conditions) I use wool indicators (new zealand style). I put the indicator so the distance to the first fly is about equal or slightly less than the depth of the water. (I adjust depth constantly for better drift but this is where I start). I'll use the indicator in deep runs and pools, but I take it off for fast riffles. Then I'll either high stick it or swing it, or strip it. (I usually try all three in that order) In fast water, soft hackles seem to initiate strikes any way they are presented, as long as fish are there.

If you can, try to get a copy of Sylvester Nemes book "the Soft Hackle Fly". Its a great read. If you are tying flies or want to learn, it's a great place to start. His flies, described in the book are simple and catch fish!
 
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