Soft Hackles

[afishinado]

Fly Fisherman Throwback: The Soft-Hackled Fly - Fly Fisherman

Witness here the re-birth of a century-old tradition, almost lost to us in the nymph and dry fly frenzy of recent years. An important article, we feel.

www.flyfisherman.com

 

[LetortAngler]

Great article. Really like that they used Syl’s photos. As much as I enjoy fishing the dry during Caddis and Mayfly hatches here in PA (especially the Grannom and Sulfur) I make it a point to fish tandem soft hackles at least once during each outing during heavy hatch activity, many times turning a good trip into a great trip.

 

[bdhoover77]

What time of year do you tend to fish soft hackle wet flies? Spring seems like the obvious time because, frankly, every manner of fishing seems to work well in the spring. But what about winter? Has anyone had success fishing soft hackles during the winter months?

 

[afishinado]

What time of year do you tend to fish soft hackle wet flies? Spring seems like the obvious time because, frankly, every manner of fishing seems to work well in the spring. But what about winter? Has anyone had success fishing soft hackles during the winter months?

I've had some success fishing small (18's -20's) blue or purple bodied wets w/ starling hackle. Also small pheasant tail or dark brown dubbed hares ear body wets with partridge hackle, especially when tiny winter black stoneflies are present. I'm sure there are many other wet patterns that will work. I generally fish them upstream dead-drift and let them swing slowly as they progress downstream. Or you can fish them on a dropper with a heavier nymph to get them down. Give wet flies a try this winter. Good luck.

 

[jifigz]

I love fishing soft hackles and do it a fair amount. I also, maybe more than anything, love tying soft hackles. I have never really fished soft hackles in the winter, though. I also nymph or throw a streamer.

I will have to try to fish soft hackles in the winter, but I have a feeling that their effectiveness won't be great.

 

[afishinado]

I love fishing soft hackles and do it a fair amount. I also, maybe more than anything, love tying soft hackles. I have never really fished soft hackles in the winter, though. I also nymph or throw a streamer.

I will have to try to fish soft hackles in the winter, but I have a feeling that their effectiveness won't be great.

Softies work in the winter, and sometimes better than nymphs or streamers.

Many times in winter, trout hold in slower, deeper water than you will find them hanging out in spring. A soft hackle slowly hanging deep in the hole with hackles moving ever so slightly is very enticing to a trout.

I often have hours of fun sight-fishing for them in the slower pools and tail-outs.

Give it a try.

 

[JerryC]

I like to use soft hackles. I tie all my nymphs with soft hackle. They're not the classic soft hackle, though I do have a few of them in my trout box. I use either starling or partridge for the hackle.

I also tie them in larger sizes for panfish and bass in a more traditional style. Panfish I tie in size 6 or 8.
Bass in size 4 or 2. One trick I picked up to add a bit of weight on the larger patterns is use an appropriate sized bead head as a thorax and tie in the hackle in front of the bead. When I get into the bass sizes I'm using Guinea Hen, Spey or Schlappen, sometimes saddle as the soft hackle.

 

[redietz]

What time of year do you tend to fish soft hackle wet flies? Spring seems like the obvious time because, frankly, every manner of fishing seems to work well in the spring. But what about winter? Has anyone had success fishing soft hackles during the winter months?

I fish nothing but soft hackles during the winter months. #14 Grouse and Herl (below) for little brown stoneflies, #18 Light Spanish Needle for little black stoneflies, #18 Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle, #16 Stewart's Back Spider, and #16 Snipe and Purple for various midges and stoneflies.

I've been out three times this year, fishing only a half an hour or so each time and have caught trout on soft hackles each time (and missed a bunch more.)

 

[jifigz]

Softies work in the winter, and sometimes better than nymphs or streamers.

Many times in winter, trout hold in slower, deeper water than you will find them hanging out in spring. A soft hackle slowly hanging deep in the hole with hackles moving ever so slightly is very enticing to a trout.

I often have hours of fun sight-fishing for them in the slower pools and tail-outs.

Give it a try.

Will do, Tom. And I guess I should have been clearer. I don't expect the classic soft hackle swing would work great in the winter. I will often fish a soft hackle deep down like a nymph with great success at any time of the year. But, in my opinion, the swing of the soft hackle during a hatch is what makes em so great and fun. The ease of the fishing them in the riffle and the hard tugs that let you know if you tied a good knot or not.

 

[redietz]

I don't expect the classic soft hackle swing would work great in the winter.

The classic presentation of soft hackles is upstream, dead drift.

Actually, the swing works great in winter, especially when there are stone flies on the water. They're quite active, and the fish love to chase them.

If there are no stone flies, leave the fly dangle at the end of the swing a bit longer than you would otherwise. A surprising number of fish will take a fly that's just hanging there.

 

[Schaefer406]

I've had some success fishing small (18's -20's) blue or purple bodied wets w/ starling hackle. Also small pheasant tail or dark brown dubbed hares ear body wets with partridge hackle, especially when tiny winter black stoneflies are present. I'm sure there are many other wet patterns that will work. I generally fish them upstream dead-drift and let them swing slowly as they progress downstream. Or you can fish them on a dropper with a heavier nymph to get them down. Give wet flies a try this winter. Good luck.

I've never really dove into fishing wets before. What leader setup do you use for them? How quickly/how far do they sink in the water column? I want to give them a try on some caddis hatches this spring.

 

[mt_flyfisher]

I really like to fish soft hackles, and fish them non stop in the fall in the Madison and Firehole Rivers in, or just outside, Yellowstone Park where they can fish like dynamite. I also like fishing wet flies here in PA, especially in the spring, although I don’t fish them here as much as I probably should.

Here’s a fly that I often fish in the Madison in the fall, and have found that this fly produces much better for me than the more popular named patterns (and why wouldn’t it, because it’s my fly pattern and I fish it most often!).

I like to tie a number of soft hackle patterns using SLF Prism Fiber dubbing, tied in a dubbing loop (or not, as you wish) for the body, and a couple turns of Hungarian Partridge at the head. That’s all there is to them. They are very quick and easy to tie, and they are effective. You only need to change the body colors and hook sizes as needed. As you can see, the SLF colors cover a wide range of insects.

 

[redietz]

... why wouldn’t it, because it’s my fly pattern and I fish it most often!

True of many a fly.

 

[bdhoover77]

I fish nothing but soft hackles during the winter months. #14 Grouse and Herl (below) for little brown stoneflies, #18 Light Spanish Needle for little black stoneflies, #18 Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle, #16 Stewart's Back Spider, and #16 Snipe and Purple for various midges and stoneflies.

I've been out three times this year, fishing only a half an hour or so each time and have caught trout on soft hackles each time (and missed a bunch more.)

View attachment 1641228485

I do love the look of soft hackle flies. They are what I imagine a “proper” fly should look like when I think of fly fishing. I have only swung wet flies or used them as a dropper when fishing a heavier nymph.

When you fish them during the winter, do you add weight or use a poly leader to get them down in the water column? Do you put them under an indicator when you fish them upstream?

Now I’m looking out the window while at my desk and thinking about going fishing…

 

[redietz]

When you fish them during the winter, do you add weight or use a poly leader to get them down in the water column? Do you put them under an indicator when you fish them upstream?

I may or may not use a poly leader in winter. The majority of fish may be hugging bottom in deeper water, but those near the surface or in shallow water are there for one reason only -- to eat -- and those tend to be easier to catch. I've caught a lot of trout in winter in less than a foot of water on sunny days -- I believe the water warms up faster there and both the bugs and fish are more active.

OTOH, sometimes there all the fish seem to be hugging bottom and I get no response near the surface. Then I'll use a poly leader to get down. It's a simple change and can make all the difference.

Upstream wet fly/soft hackle fishing is a bit like tight lining nymphs, except higher up in the water column. Short casts, and lead the fly down stream. No sight indicator involved. Or you can go the dry/dropper route. (I prefer the soft hackle to be between the the rod and the dry.)

There's really no wrong way to fish a soft hackle.

 

[bdhoover77]

I fish nothing but soft hackles during the winter months. #14 Grouse and Herl (below) for little brown stoneflies, #18 Light Spanish Needle for little black stoneflies, #18 Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle, #16 Stewart's Back Spider, and #16 Snipe and Purple for various midges and stoneflies.

I've been out three times this year, fishing only a half an hour or so each time and have caught trout on soft hackles each time (and missed a bunch more.)

View attachment 1641228485

What hackle feathers do you use to substitute for harder to find feathers like grouse, starling, etc.? Obviously that might not be an issue if you have a readily available supply of hackle.

 

[falcon]

Brahma Hen can be used.

 

[redietz]

Brahma Hen can be used.

It can be, and I use it, but I never seem to catch as many fish on flies tied with that. (Probably a confidence thing.)

Starling skin cost about $5 apiece; grouse wings are now up to $9 a pair. The brahma hen will cost more than both of those put together.

 

[JeffK]

My go-to winter soft hackle was a size 19 starling and something dark body. I tried purple silk, black midge thread, ribbed thread bodies with dubbed thorax and other bodies and all seemed to do OK as long as they were dark. However, the starling hackle seemed to be what they wanted. Also did well with a Williams Favorite which is like on old version of a zebra midge with a black soft hackle. (black thread body, silver rib, black hackle) The rub there is getting good natural black hen hackle, not dyed stuff. The natural ones have an iridescent shine and some have light tips - the variation seems to make a difference IMHO. Collins had some great ones but hard to find good ones now. Mine are getting picked through for the smaller hackles.

Mostly fished these behind a weighted nymph to get them down, but classic upstream wet fly worked when fish were up and swing when little black stones were being blown into the water.

 

[jifigz]

A starling skin is one of the best items that can be added to your tying arsenal.