Soft Hackle fly.

[Snowblind 0]

After looking at a few designs and seeing what I liked I tried my hand at a soft hackle.

 

Tied on a size 14 3761. Hen hackle for the soft hackle. Used Black Peacock ice dubbing (little UV dubbing mixed in) for the thorax. Tried peacock hurl the first time, did not think it was "buggy" enough.

 

This is the first fly I have photographed as well. Have to say it shows detail better than I can see on the bench.

 

Some observations on my fly that I don't like, or have a question on:

 

1. Crowded the head a little. Also, a bit of the quill slipped between.

2. Thread is showing at the tail, dubbing did not cover it fully.

3. Hackle size? It seems kinda long, but looking at a few flies, maybe not?

4. Tail material: I used a mix of banded duck and a little of the hen hackle. Looks a little lost in the soft hackle.

 

Any suggestions/comments/recommendations?

[utyer 0]

You have a fly there that will more than likely catch fish. Soft hackles are traditionally tied with the sparcest dubbing possible. And the thread color should be considered when tying the fly. Pearsalls silk was the preferred thread and the threads were meant to show through the dubbing. Many soft hackles were mearly the thread, and the hackle, no dubbing. Try some with a light yellow thread, neetly wrapped back to the point, and back toward the eye don't add any dubbing until the last 1/4 of the hook. Then just a touch. The dubbing should let the thread show trough, and be sparce and fuzzzy. Then just a turn and a half of hackle. Soft hackles are classic examples of the less is more the most imortant part is the movement of the hackles. Peacock herl thinly wrapped will make a fine soft hackle.

[lykos33 0]

Having just started the soft hackles and finally figuring the "macro" setting on the wife's camera I can feel for ya. None of the flies I photographed are anywhere near as nice as I thought they were on the vice...I'm just hoping for nearsighted fish! :hyst:

[rockworm 0]

Very nice fly. I don't think the head looks crowded at all. And the rib is well-spaced. The collar hackle is often a bit long in soft-hackle flies. I think this is mostly due to the difficulty in finding usable small feathers in traditional game birds (grouse, pheasant, partridge, starling...) However, you should be able to find some more suitable feathers (with fibers 1 1/2 the length of the hook gap) on your hen neck. If the fly is intended for use in flowing water it is helpful to increase the amount of dubbing (in your case peacock) just behind the collar to prevent the hackle from collapsing around the body. I agree with utyer: your fly should catch fish just fine.

[redietz 0]

Very nice for a first soft hackle.

 

The hackle is definitely not too long. Anything between half the hook length to 1 1/2 times the hook length is ok; in that range it's up to you what you like.

The head's not too crowded. Tails are often omitted from soft hackles. Again, it's up to your taste about whether to use one or not. I'd agree with you assessment in this one that the tail does lost. The body is a bit too full -- as others have suggested try some with a mostly thread body, just tinged with fur if you want to use it all. Also, the body is often short on soft hackles -- no longer than the point half way between the point and the barb, and in some styles, considerably shorter.

 

(This is not to say that there aren't full bodied soft hackles. A gold ribbed hare's ear SH can be a killer fly for me at this time of the year.)

 

Your fly will definitely catch fish.

[Old Hat 0]

Snowblind - as the others have stated, you did a nice job and I think some of your own critiques are too hard. Soft hackle is a very broad term and can include many different varieties. Most of the very sparse soft hackled flies people refer to were commonly called spider patterns. These had little to no dubbing and no tail. Sparseness was key. another type of soft hackled fly is the flymph. These commonly had sparse tails, the thread was supposed to show through at the tail tie in and blend with the dubbing throughout the body. The dubbing was applied in a dubbing loop to give it a messy full appearance even though little dubbing was used. Then of course as with most things there are any number of variations. That is the beauty of creative tying. The only thing I see is I would lessen the amount of dubbing and pick it out to look full. This will give the body some movement and help the pattern to sink. You did crowd the hook eye just a bit but not by much. One signature of a well-tied soft hackle is a small head. Just practice on smaller heads...again just less is better. I really like Leisenring's method for tying in hackles. Mark(Soft Hackle) does a nice job explaining it in the following link. This method is the best for tying in a durable soft hackle and I believe makes it much easier to decrease head buildup.

 

Hackling a wet fly

[chrismartin 0]

I agree with Old Hat... soft hackle flies have evolved to a point where you can be very creative. I tie soft hackles with thread bodies, dubbed bodies and biot bodies. I've also included ribs, bead spots and bead heads. My point is that the sky is the limit with your tying! Your first soft hackle looks great. Much better than my first. Take the critiques and apply them to your own creative ideas and I'm sure you'll be happy with the result (trout care a lot less than we do... they'll eat just about anything)

[Soft-hackle 0]

Snowblind,

You have a great resource, here. Looking at others tying work will definitely assist you in tying these flies. Look at some of Old Hat's and letumgo's soft-hackles. The more you look, study and tie, the better you will get.

 

You're on the right road to a wonderful and rewarding addiction. The wingless wet fly is VERY versatile and productive.

 

Mark

[flytire 0]

heres another place if you want to tie soft hackles

 

http://www.danica.com/flytier/hweilenmann/hweilenmann.htm

[Snowblind 0]

Got a chance to fish this as a sub-surface "film" fly and swung it in the fast water.

 

Got 3 eats (first two surprised me!) and one stuck on half pounders in the American river.

 

 

[redietz 0]

Got a chance to fish this as a sub-surface "film" fly and swung it in the fast water.

 

Got 3 eats (first two surprised me!) and one stuck on half pounders in the American river.

 

Way to go!

[Old Hat 0]

Got a chance to fish this as a sub-surface "film" fly and swung it in the fast water.

 

Got 3 eats (first two surprised me!) and one stuck on half pounders in the American river.

 

:thumbup:

:cheers:

Welcome to the world of softies.

[Snowblind 0]

:thumbup:

:cheers:

Welcome to the world of softies.

 

I know nymphs are the way to go with getting the toaders to come out of their holes.

 

But I love the sight of a trout taking a surface eat. I will take a 12 inch halfpounder that eats from the surface over a 15 incher from a deep hole.

 

The softy is a nice compromise for when they just won't rise to the surface. They still have to rise some to take the fly. Now I just have to get the timing down so I don't miss a strike.

 

That same stretch I can get 3+ eats from dries if the lurecasters are not stirring things up. Good thing most of the lurecasters don't like waders, makes it easier in the winter for me!

 

(now... if Santa just brings me a water resistant camera for Christmas...)

[Fishin'Magician 0]

Snowblind, that looks just like some flys that I use up here in Michigan! That should catch some fish! I like to use shiney materials for the body of my wet flys and some have tails some don't. They are hands down my best flys though. I just tied one today that I used peacock hearl for the body, a few strands of pheasant wing for the tail, some copper wire for the ribbing, and some hackle from one of my mother in laws roosters she gave me. I'm just getting back into tying flys after being out of it for 20 years or so. I had forgotten how much fun it is to catch a fish on a fly that I tied!