Hackle question???

[JakeGerardKud 0]

I feel kinda dumb asking, but what is "cree hackle"??? I was looking at a woodchuck caddis recipe and it called for cree hackle. Not sure what it is. Thanks a lot.

[Hillbillyredear 0]

This is what I found about it. Hope this helps.

 

http://www.conranch.com/cree_article.html

[peregrines 0]

As the link to Denny's article explains Cree is rare and expensive, so a good substitute is using two hackles, grizzly plus brown (as in an Adams) or grizzly and dark ginger. Some grizzly variants get close, and can be found for less than a cree if you can pick through them.

 

peregrines

[maddog48 0]

I have quite a few .. maybe 25 or more .. of Conranch hackles. He has a ginger variant that may work. Call him and ask him. He'll hand pick a cape for you.

 

 

Mike

[deeky 0]

I like to mix a natural grizzley and a ginger. Gives me the light, mid, and dark, but keeps the darker tones from overwhelming they fly.

 

Deeky

[JakeGerardKud 0]

I like to mix a natural grizzley and a ginger. Gives me the light, mid, and dark, but keeps the darker tones from overwhelming they fly.

 

Deeky

Thank you all very much for your help. Denny sells only full cree skins. And in my opinion, they're not that expensive. About $100 is worth it to me. I'm going to buy one. I'm sure it will last me forever or close to it anyway. But I do agree that they really aren't necessary when you can use 2 different colored hackles to match a cree. Thanks again.

[mvendon 0]

Hi JakeGerardKud,

 

Denny's article just isn't even close. If he even did just a little digging, he would have found that the color "Cree" would relate to a Cree indian pony that has just three distinct colors, Brown, Cream/White, and Black. Regarding the hackle feather color, all three have to be present, and go completely from the stem to the feathers edge to be determined as true Cree. Anyone can banter about what shades of cream, grey, blueish or greenish black in or not in sunlight conditions may or may not show up in a cape. Grizzly is two colors, black and white barred and that's it. Cree is made up of three colors, black, white, and brown, it's as simple as that. It was actually pretty easy to pick up a Cree cape or saddle prior to 2000, at any of the major fly tying places until one thread after another started showing up on these forums. Now, you either have to be placed on a waiting list or try your chances on eBay. One of the major impacts that the internet has. Do the fish really care that much? I really sort of doubt it.

 

Have a Great New Year,

 

Mark

 

 

[WYKnot 0]

Do the fish really care that much? I really sort of doubt it.

I agree; sometimes you tie for the trout and sometimes you tie for the angler.

 

A Cree cape is a beautiful thing to a confirmed hackaholic like myself.

 

Happy 2009.

[ashbourn 0]

Hi JakeGerardKud,

 

Denny's article just isn't even close. If he even did just a little digging, he would have found that the color "Cree" would relate to a Cree indian pony that has just three distinct colors, Brown, Cream/White, and Black.

 

 

I think the term "Cree" can be more closer connected to the term crele used by chicken breeders long before Cree was ever spoken.

 

Joe