What hackle brand and where to get bucktail?

[Crotalus 0]

What brand hackle is everyone using for pike/muskie flies? Are you using full saddles or the strung stuff?

Where is a reliable place to buy bucktail with long hair? Searched through every bucktail in 4 colors at bass pro yesterday and found one of each color that was usable.

 

 

[Phish 0]

I use Whiting American nepurcks and capes mostly since finding them now is much harder. Strung hackles are ok. Ut their stems are not stiffer so they dont do to well for large muskie flies I tie. Strung hackles are good for collar wraps and such. Bucktails you better off looking at them before purchasing. Ebay is absolutely worse place to buy!

[tidewaterfly 0]

Sorry, double post!

[tidewaterfly 0]

I don't tie flies for Pike/Muskie, but do tie large flies & usually use strung hackle. Much easier to get & I haven't had any issues with the stems. I can often tie in the 10" length range with strung saddles that are 6-7" long, but most flies I tie a shorter, about 8" in length.

 

I have used the wider, longer feathers from a full saddle, but don't buy the saddles specifically for tying those large flies. I have several I've bought for tying buggers, and will use the wider, webby hackle from those sometimes.

 

I've yet to find a reliable source for long bucktail, but really depends on how long you want it to be. What I get that's long is often only 4-5" at most, so I make due. There are ways to tie longer bucktail flies by utilizing 4-5" hair, and shorter. Any longer than that is very hard to find in consistent quantities. I just read a discussion on another site about sources for extremely long bucktail, and it seems there is none.

 

Here's a link to that discussion: The Anatomy of a Susky Flats Fly

 

You might consider combining some materials, like synthetic & bucktail to get the length & bulk you need, perhaps a natural hair such as Yak might help if you only wish to use natural materials.

 

Phish, BTW, what's a "nepurcks"? I'm not familiar with that term.

[Phish 0]

Oh Oops!! what I type on my so called smart phone! Mis spelled word should be saddles and necks.

Reason I do a lot of of the Catbird fly I tye since they catch a lot fish and they look very cool and fun to tie.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I was wondering! I can't type worth a hoot, and have a hard enough time on my desk top key pad!

 

Here's one I dug out my my fly boxes. It's a Deceiver about 7 1/2 to 8 inches long & tied with strung schlappen.

 

 

I use the strung saddles the same way. If you notice, the fluff near the base of the hackle is still on there. I'll use the stiffer base stem often on big flies, as it helps make them longer, that fluff adds some extra movement & breaths in the water, plus the stiffer stem helps keep the long hackle from fouling around the hook, not that it would easily with a fly like this, but every little bit helps.

[bigpikeflies 0]

I get all my materials from CHIFLY.com. If you tell Jon or Andy that I sent you, tell them you want BIG fly material. They are very good about sorting and only sending large bucktails. If they dont have any they will get some for you. Most of the fibers on my bucktail is over three inches and small and tight so it doesn't flair. I go through probably 100 bucktails in a show season and they quality is great.

[mcfluffchucker 0]

for large hackles i always go for whitting farm stuff and although quite expensive it does last a while and you'll get plenty of flies out of it , bucktail the best I've found is orvis so far but i do take it out the pack and have a look at the hairs , (if they object then just don't buy it ) my local orvis is great and they are used to me and my ways . for marabou i always use deercreeks as is best Ive used so far lovely plumes that move fantastic in the water , its the only one i use on the subbugs now

 

hope thats of help

[TheCream 0]

I selectively harvest my own deer tails.

 

 

As a side note to anyone who does save their own tails, best advice I can give you: cut the dang thing off BEFORE field dressing! Cleaning all the blood out of the hair after field dressing is a pain.

[agn54 0]

I have a lot of mine harvested for me by my brothers-in-lawbut just bleach them white. For my colors I usually go with Hareline which serves its purpose for me. The guys at Saltwater's Edge used to have extra select bucktails which were the best I have found, hair is very long (6-7 inches or more) and soft. Unfortunately, I don't think they carry them anymore. They were more expnsive but worth it. You may want to check with them just in case they still can get a hold of them.

[Phish 0]

I selectively harvest my own deer tails.

 

 

As a side note to anyone who does save their own tails, best advice I can give you: cut the dang thing off BEFORE field dressing! Cleaning all the blood out of the hair after field dressing is a pain.

Lil bleach will get the blood off it.

[sparkleminnow 0]

If you guys need some large, yellow hackles. I have some Whiting capes. Bought them to make striper flies, but the striper fishery, here, kinda dried up. Now, I'm stuck with them...unless you guys are interested? They are listed on the trading floor.

[Riplips 0]

Check out mcoprimotail.bigcartel.com. That's all I use. They are the best of the best. Hand picked my musky nuts. Tell him Bergy sent you.

[Phish 0]

Check out mcoprimotail.bigcartel.com. That's all I use. They are the best of the best. Hand picked my musky nuts. Tell him Bergy sent you.

Sounds like it to expensive and who is gonna buy a few feathers while you buy a whole cape for the same?

[Crotalus 0]

Thanks for the info guys.

I've been on the Primo Tail (MCO) website. If I were a better tier and musky fisher I would definitely go for their bucktail, but for my use I can't justify the cost.