Help tying off hackles

[Wonko the Sane 0]

I am having a lot of trouble finishing off hackles. starting them is no problem and then winding them around is fine, but when I go to tie it off I always get a heap of hakles caught in the thread which point forward over the hook eye. So far I have just been triming these when I am done, but surely there is a better way.

 

I understand you can use a hackle gaurd when tying the head but I can't think of a way to do it when I am tying down the end of the hackle.

 

cheers

Michael

 

 

[Hot Tuna 0]

If you're tying parachute style hackles you can use the glue-it-off method I learned from Dick Talleur's site.

Basically you wind the hackle and then let the hackle and thread hang down below the base of the wing and glue the whole thing to the post with zap a gap. You can see a more articulate explanation at Dick's site www.dicktalluer.com under fly tying projects. The nice thing about this method is the eye is always perfectly clear; nothing more annoying then trying to thread the leader and material is in the way.

Enjoy the site,

Hot Tuna

[mtn 0]

If its just a rormal hackle when i'm done i usually strip a small section of the hackle and then tie it down, hope that helps.

[chrisfish 0]

mtn has agreat way. just strip the end bare.

 

or tie it off and hold the extra back with your fingers instead of a guard. they are the best tool you have.

 

I thinl its ok to trimm the hackle off too, since it is buried under the head

[Wonko the Sane 0]

Thanks guys,

 

I will try out your suggestions tonight. Hopefully my hackels will be better now.

[fly time 0]

Give yourself an 1/8 inch clearance form the eye, and strip the tip of your hackle before ya start to tie it, and it should solve your problem, if its parachute style turn your fly eye down before ya start to wrap, and that helps alot, go to fly swaps page, click on the (any intrrest) one and click on the kilinhammer link, and there are instructions for tying parachute, it will explain it better than I can, it has picts!! good luck, and hope one of us has helped.

[deeky 0]

If you are interested in parachutes, try the paraloop method. The thread is whipped before any hackle is wrapped = impossible to trap hackle. I'm thinking it may be the only way I do the few parachutes that I do any more.

[Rick Kruger 0]

I realize this is long after the initial thread on this, but I would like some feed back regarding the paraloop method. I am having trouble trapping hackle under the finish tie off. I am hoping "Deeky" will enlighten me about what he means by the thread is "whipped before any hackle is wrapped", thus resulting in "whipped before any hackle is wrapped".

 

Rick

[deeky 0]

Rick,

 

When tying a paraloop, after finishing the body of the fly, you first tie in the end of fine mono where the hackle will be centered. Then tie in the stems of the hackles you will be using. Third, creating a loop of mono, tie down the other end leaving a tag of mono sticking out from under the wraps. Only use about 3 wraps over the mono as you will have to be able to pull the mono through later. Then hold the tag of mono back and out of the way and work your thread forward and finish and whipfinish your thread. You can snip the thread as you are now totally done with it. Go back and, holding the loop of mono open, wrap your hackle(s) around one leg of the loop until you have the amount of hackle you want. I find it works better if I keep the wraps tight and close to the bottom of the leg (there will be less slack in the hackle wraps when you draw things down). Then put a hackle pliers on the end of your hackle and let it hang. Grab the tag of your mono loop and draw the loop down tight. When everything is good and tight, you can snip the tag of mono and the tips of your hackle and everything will stay in place. This technique gives you more of a parachute style hackle, hense the name. Hope that makes sense.

 

Deeky

[stevemcn 0]

The March issue of Fly Rod and Reel Magazine has an article and gives tips for tying hackles. Here's a link, http://www.flyrodreel.com/index.php/page/i...007_03/id/19231, but the actual magazine has some better pictures.

[flytyingscotsman 0]

 

A.K. Best has a technique for avoiding trapped hackles when tying off

which I found to be helpful.

 

Wind the hackle as normal and when getting ready to tie off, bring both

bobbin and hackle into a 3 o'clock position coming straight towards you.

Then wind both hackle and thread up to 12 o'clock, crossing the thread

over the hackle at this time. Leave hackle at 12 o'clock and continue on

with the thread.

 

Hope this is clear enough to get you started.

 

 

[flyfishingtaz 0]

ya beat me to it steve lol :ripped: . When I read that article in the magazine, and tried the tips they gave, I haven't had as many trapped hackle. Ya tend to have a few cause when yor rippin through the flies, ya tend to forget things like that. But, I will admit them tips really do work.

[Chase Creek 0]

Check this link out. Got it from a post by letumgo.

 

http://flyfisherman.com/ftb/hwhackle/