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Jordon W

Soft hackle help

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I am wondering if anyone could tell me if there is a feather on a pheasant skin that would work for a soft hackle? I received a whole pheasant skin and would like to tie a few soft hackles and just looking to use some materials I may already have. If anyone else has any other substitution ideas other then partridge let me know.

 

Thanks in advance

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These are two I tied with the pheasant pelts I got from Dubbin Hareline. The first was form the back twards the rear of the pelt. The second was from a golden pheasant pelt.

 

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I am wondering if anyone could tell me if there is a feather on a pheasant skin that would work for a soft hackle? I received a whole pheasant skin and would like to tie a few soft hackles and just looking to use some materials I may already have. If anyone else has any other substitution ideas other then partridge let me know.

 

Thanks in advance

Hi,

A lot of feathers can be used IF you tie the flies large enough. Pheasant, although very usable are often quite large for soft-hackles in smaller sizes. Look on the wings (on top of the wing and below), upper breasts and back for smaller feathers. There are various ways to utilize larger feathers on smaller flies.

 

One of the flies I tie uses pheasant from a cock bird.

Red Clock

 

Here's a link to Charlie Craven's solution to using larger bird feathers on smaller flies. There are other methods as well.

Craven's Soft hackle

 

I hope this helps,

Mark

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The Carey Special is a great stillwater fly that uses the bluish feathers from a pheasant rump.

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I have a few pheasant skins from my taxidermy buddy. Most of the feathers on the skin can be used for soft hackle flies. I just choose smaller feathers for smaller flies.

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I was going to throw out the link to Charlies website, but softhackle beat me to it, where larger feathers can be used to tie smaller flies. I have yet to really master that technique, but it is definitely a good way to substitute what you have for a few soft hackles without springing for a partridge or starling skin.

 

C

 

I am wondering if anyone could tell me if there is a feather on a pheasant skin that would work for a soft hackle? I received a whole pheasant skin and would like to tie a few soft hackles and just looking to use some materials I may already have. If anyone else has any other substitution ideas other then partridge let me know.

 

Thanks in advance

Hi,

A lot of feathers can be used IF you tie the flies large enough. Pheasant, although very usable are often quite large for soft-hackles in smaller sizes. Look on the wings (on top of the wing and below), upper breasts and back for smaller feathers. There are various ways to utilize larger feathers on smaller flies.

 

One of the flies I tie uses pheasant from a cock bird.

Red Clock

 

Here's a link to Charlie Craven's solution to using larger bird feathers on smaller flies. There are other methods as well.

Craven's Soft hackle

 

I hope this helps,

Mark

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