Crackle Back...

[WPaoli 0]

Hi, All!

 

I'm pretty new to fly fishing, much less tying, but I'm planning on starting to tie as soon as my stuff arrives in the next week or so.

 

The reason for this post is that I haven't found very much information on the "crackle back" style. Where I live, the "crackle back" is the go to fly for the trout streams in my area. Sure, you can find them in every local tackle store, but paying $1.50 for each one is starting to wear me out. I guess what I'm looking for is some basic information on how to tie this thing... I hear tell they're pretty simple to tie (one old timer told me it tkaes him less than a minute per fly), so any information you guys have would be great.

 

Thanks in advance...

[Guest]

http://teosinte2.agron.missouri.edu/flyfis...rackleback.html

 

hopefully that will get you on your way.

[Carver 0]

I wish the pic was a little better but I think I'll try a few for my own box.

 

Thanks Will

[JarrodRuggles 0]

feather craft cat. has some good pics of the crackel back. I'll scan em....I would just tye some but sister ran off to college with her camera

 

scratch that...scanner dont work right now

[WPaoli 0]

QUOTE (SmallieHunter @ Aug 18 2005, 06:41 PM)

http://teosinte2.agron.missouri.edu/flyfis...rackleback.html hopefully that will get you on your way.

Thanks for that link. All I have to do now is learn "fly speak", and I'm on my way.

[maddog48 0]

I think the link posted makes for an easier fly for a person just starting out. The original fly (I believe) had a turkey round body and to me, the dubbed body would be easier.

 

 

Mike

[Mato Kuwapi 0]

Here is another link and the photo is better.

 

Crackleback Fly

[flytire 0]

From the Feather-Craft catalog

 

[McManus 0]

A crackle back is like a wooly pattern, in that it comes in many sizes, and colors.

[glm38 0]

Does anyone know the "right" way to tie in the hackle or have a preference for this pattern (crackleback)? Do you tie it in at the tip (of the hackle feather) or tie at the butt end and wrap forward. Meaning palmering vs hackling if I have the terminology right. I've seen it done both ways and have done it both ways myself. I think this is a great pattern by the way. Very versatile.

thanks,

Greg

[JoeFish 0]

palmering is simply wrapping hackle with a gap between wraps. you can palmer tip first or butt first.

 

sometimes there is a noticeable diference which way the hackle fibers are oriented. wether they aim forward towards the eye as pictured above, or lay back towards the tail of the fly. This has to do with the way you tie the feather in. there is a dull side and a shiny side. you will have to experiment with this process to see which way the feather needs to be tied in.

 

Joe

[Brookieboy 0]

I've also seen the pattern without the herl, just red floss and black palmered hackle, sizes down to 18. Supposed to be a pretty good Brookie pattern.

[Flytier 0]

 

Cheers,

Hans W

 

[moskito_01 0]

Now THAT`S a picture. Thanks Hans!

[Flysmith 0]

The crackleback is definitely my goto fly, in a variety of colors with my favorites being gold, ginger, sable, and furnace hackle. I use gold floss body, and two strands of peacock herl along the back. I tie the hackle butt first at the hook bend, and I like to catch a little of the hackle securing on the hook to give a wisp of a tail. Already mentioned, the hackle has a dull and bright side. Actually I tie the dull or "cupped" side facing me, and wind the hackle clockwise towards the hook eye. This causes the hackle to bend slightly forward towards the hook and gives the fly extra movement on the surface. I never use floatant on the fly, as I use it both like a dry and a soft hackle pattern. At the end of the drift, I pop the fly under the surface and strip back. A few false cast shakes out the water, and start over as a dry.

Another simular pattern is the "Big Ugly". Same pattern except the body is all peacock herl [no floss] and I overhackle the body [not palmered].