Dry fly hackle

[T_Bone 0]

I tied another of the first only with mahogony goose biots for a tail. It looks better than the first! Again thank you for all the help!

 

T~

[Crackaig 0]

Amanda's explanation is great, very similar to how I've done it for years. I do have one thing to add that you may find helps.

 

Don't strip the stem for tying in. Trim it instead. What lead me to this was reading in AK Best's Production fly tying that if a hackle twists when you start to wind it it will continue. If you look closely at a hackle stem it isn't round in section. It is closer to the shape of a rugby ball (American Football), and you are trying to make it stand on end. By trimming away the first few hackle barbs you create a square edge. That will give the winding a good start. That's not all you can gain from doing this. If you trim what is the bottom half of the hackle as you tie it in leaving little stubs of barbs then they provide a key for your thread to grip. The top half should be trimmed as far up the stem as the bottom half than another 1/2 dozen barbs for the start of the wind. The barbs only need be trimmed tight to the stem for these 1/2 dozen barbs. If you taper the cut down for the same length as the lower cut that gives more short barbs for the thread to grip.

 

Sorry I have work in half an hour so I must go, but when I return I'll do the images to go with the explanation.

 

Cheers,

C.

[Piker20 0]

Amanda's explanation is great, very similar to how I've done it for years. I do have one thing to add that you may find helps.

 

Don't strip the stem for tying in. Trim it instead. What lead me to this was reading in AK Best's Production fly tying that if a hackle twists when you start to wind it it will continue. If you look closely at a hackle stem it isn't round in section. It is closer to the shape of a rugby ball (American Football), and you are trying to make it stand on end. By trimming away the first few hackle barbs you create a square edge. That will give the winding a good start. That's not all you can gain from doing this. If you trim what is the bottom half of the hackle as you tie it in leaving little stubs of barbs then they provide a key for your thread to grip. The top half should be trimmed as far up the stem as the bottom half than another 1/2 dozen barbs for the start of the wind. The barbs only need be trimmed tight to the stem for these 1/2 dozen barbs. If you taper the cut down for the same length as the lower cut that gives more short barbs for the thread to grip.

 

Sorry I have work in half an hour so I must go, but when I return I'll do the images to go with the explanation.

 

Cheers,

C.

 

Having seen this from crackaig and tried it I can vouch the hackle just winds on with no twist at all. Almost like magic.

[Hellgrammite 0]

Huh. Good idea with trimming the hackle, never thought of that!

 

Learn something every day! Ill have a try that way, anything that reduces chance of twist and durability helps. I plan to get a couple of Whiting necks soonish, and have a go with those; have heard only wonderful things.

 

And T, those flies look a LOT better than anything I did for the first, I dunno... year or so I was tying? The wings especially came out great, nicely divided and matched. Mallard quill slip wings have always been trickier for me than either wood duck or hackle tips. Maybe the mallard wings could be standing up just a teeny bit straighter? Wings leaning too far forward may cause a fly to want to tip onto its eye when it lands. The Adams is an 18? Its hackle is a bit long, and its tail a bit short, but it should fish juuust fine, especially on calmer, smooth water (which is where we should fish a teeny adams anyways!). For hackle on these sort of dries, I usually go with barbs 2 times the hook gap in length, and my tails are as long as the shank. What thread size did you use on that teeny adams, anyway?

 

The duck wing one is quite good. Tie a half dozen more, and pay attention to the point where you tie off your hackles, and you're spot on. Only suggestion for that one is that the head is a bit long, but the eye looks clear, which is what counts. The Adams just blows my mind, for being an 18. Work on the proportions a teeny bit and I think you're home free (and even so, I would not turn my nose up at fishing with that one!)

 

I usually tie 6 or even 12 of a new size when I am getting used to a new sort of fly. Compare the 1st one with the 12th one, you tie, and you'll know why

 

Great job, Amanda

 

PS. Upon closer examination, your tails actually look ok on that adams.

[T_Bone 0]

Huh. Good idea with trimming the hackle, never thought of that!

 

Learn something every day! Ill have a try that way, anything that reduces chance of twist and durability helps. I plan to get a couple of Whiting necks soonish, and have a go with those; have heard only wonderful things.

 

And T, those flies look a LOT better than anything I did for the first, I dunno... year or so I was tying? The wings especially came out great, nicely divided and matched. Mallard quill slip wings have always been trickier for me than either wood duck or hackle tips. Maybe the mallard wings could be standing up just a teeny bit straighter? Wings leaning too far forward may cause a fly to want to tip onto its eye when it lands. The Adams is an 18? Its hackle is a bit long, and its tail a bit short, but it should fish juuust fine, especially on calmer, smooth water (which is where we should fish a teeny adams anyways!). For hackle on these sort of dries, I usually go with barbs 2 times the hook gap in length, and my tails are as long as the shank. What thread size did you use on that teeny adams, anyway?

 

The duck wing one is quite good. Tie a half dozen more, and pay attention to the point where you tie off your hackles, and you're spot on. Only suggestion for that one is that the head is a bit long, but the eye looks clear, which is what counts. The Adams just blows my mind, for being an 18. Work on the proportions a teeny bit and I think you're home free (and even so, I would not turn my nose up at fishing with that one!)

 

I usually tie 6 or even 12 of a new size when I am getting used to a new sort of fly. Compare the 1st one with the 12th one, you tie, and you'll know why

 

Great job, Amanda

 

PS. Upon closer examination, your tails actually look ok on that adams.

 

Thanks again for all your help Amanda! I have been tying for a little over a year now, but until recently the world of dry flies has been undiscovered by me. I tied some elk hair caddis, and attempted some BWO's that really sucked, and a few stimulators, again that sucked. SO I just gave it up and stuck to wet flies, streamers, and nymphs. I most enjoy tying nymphs.

 

I'm glad my flies are some what pleasing to an eye other than my own.

 

T~

[Hellgrammite 0]

Hehe, I understand. My 1st attempts at dry flies were also BWOs, and they just didnt come out good at all. Like... ugh.

 

I later learned that about 75% of my problems were caused by my tying thread being WAY too heavy (I was using 3/0 at the time...)

 

Seriously, nice flies. Make sure to post pics of some others, its fun to see people transform from beginners to solid tyers. It happens more quickly than many realize

 

Amanda

[T_Bone 0]

Hehe, I understand. My 1st attempts at dry flies were also BWOs, and they just didnt come out good at all. Like... ugh.

 

I later learned that about 75% of my problems were caused by my tying thread being WAY too heavy (I was using 3/0 at the time...)

 

Seriously, nice flies. Make sure to post pics of some others, its fun to see people transform from beginners to solid tyers. It happens more quickly than many realize

 

Amanda

 

I'll keep at it!

 

The thread I used unfortunately has no label and it was a hand-me-down spool. I believe it is Danville by the remains of the label. I suspect it is 8/0 or something there about. (I think someone asked and I forgot to respond to that.)

 

T~