Dry Fly hackle Question

[Mustang Mike 0]

I was tying some dry flies last night and all I had for the hackle was some inexpensive #2 imported dry fly rooster hackle that looked almost like domestic feathers.

 

The hackle were oversized (about twice the length of the hook gap.) That said, the flies do LOOK nice! My question is are they TOO long?? :dunno: Or more importantly, how long IS too long? How does an oversized hackle affect the flies ability to float in the water. Does it help if the tails are tied a bit long as well to "balance" the hackle size?

 

[mrcaddis 0]

Mike,

I'd go fish your flies and let the fish be the judge of it. I like the hackle to be about 1-1/2 the gap of the hook.

Another suggestion is to clip off the bottom of the hackle and the fly will sit in the film of the water.

[JoeBillingsley 0]

Mustang Mike,

If the hackle is too long they'll tend to float on their little heads with their little tails straight up in the air.

Joe

[phg 0]

...but the old standard, from back when that was about as good a hackle as you were going to find, was 1.5x to 2x the gape. Part of why that will work is because Indian hackle barbs are not as stiff, and the barb count is not as dense as modern genetic hackles. You may have to make the tail a bit longer to compensate, but they should fish.

[ashbourn 0]

2x is traditional for a Catskill dry, never had a problem with them landing nose down. I fix variants that are 4x - 6x the hook gap, takes sometime to get used to but they are very effective.

Joe Fox

[Mustang Mike 0]

Thanks for the input guys! I'm feeling a lot better about these flies now that I know that they'll either work the way they were tied, or I can trim the hackle on the underside!! :headbang:

[flyfishingtaz 0]

I go about 1 1/2 times the gap. if its too long, I just trim up the bottom of the fly so it sits flush to the water.