Soft hackle question

[petelangevin 0]

Is there a single go to type feather for soft hackle flies? I see partridge and pheasant rump and other varities called for but if you only tied them occasionally what would you get as a generic all around feather for soft hackle tying.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

Partridge or hen hackle if I only tied them once in awhile partridge being my first choice as its colors are so varied

[Chase Creek 0]

I'd have to agree. Partridge #1, Hen #2.

These days, you can find Hen in a pretty wide range of colors. If you get Hen, I would get Furnace, that seems to go with anything well. Indian Hen is readily available, and at a good price ($4-7). If you get Partridge, pop for a skin ($25-30), not the small bag of loose Partridge feathers. The majority of the loose feathers are pretty much useless - too big, damaged, etc.

 

If you know someone who hunts game birds, you might be able to come up with Woodcock or Grouse. These are used a lot in patterns.

 

But BE CAREFUL - tying soft hackles can become very addicting.

[H Dot Verseman 0]

you can't settle for one type. you need many.

 

i've started my wet fly journey, and it is amazing. my materials are growing constantly. you can't even settle for one partridge, some are more gray, some are more brown. if i had to had to had to had to pick one i'd pick hen pheasant.

[Shmang 0]

Contact Denny at Conranch for his JV Hen Hackle. It is premo stuff for soft hackle patterns.

[troutguy 0]

I have Ruffed Grouse, Sharptail Grouse, Bob White Quail, Crow, Starling, Hungarian Partridge and Chukar. Each are better for some soft hackles then others.

[Piker20 0]

I live in UK and agree a hen pheasant provides some great colours. But you will start seeing all sorts of speckled birds and thinking, wow that'll make a great hackle. LoL

[shoebop 0]

I agree! Tying softies is great fun and addicting. I started out with hen pheasant (picked it up off the side of the road) and then a hen. Looked at getting a Partridge but was too rich for my blood.

[sandflyx 0]

I use hen alot, but I raise my own. I have crossed the breeds to get more partridge look in some. If you look for speckled hen at shops they cover a lot of colors.

[Hellgrammite 0]

I have only used partridge, but only because its the only one I have had easy access to. When I tie traditional winged wets, I use the webby section of a dry fly hackle. When I tie wingless soft hackles, I use partridge (And yes, the packaged feathers are usually pretty bad... I need a skin).

[joops 0]

The lower part of jungle cock cape feathers make a nicely marked soft hackle

& its using a part of a feather that is usually binned.

[Crackaig 0]

You come from a very different tradition of fly tying, but here wings of various birds are standard in most fly tying kits. The covert feathers from both the outside and inside of almost any birds wing you can get your hands on will make good soft hackles. My advice would be don't wait until you can get something expensive like a partridge skin, get to tying them now with whatever you have available.

Cheers,

C.

[flytire 0]

start with a hungarian partridge skin (dont get the baggies of plucked fearters). then build your collection with whitings brahma hen neck or saddles. starlings are good for making soft hackles. etc etc etc

[mvendon 0]

Hi petelangevin,

 

Besides all the different kinds of feathers that you can use, learn the distribution wrap technique. That way you don't have to limit yourself to just useing very small feathers, but larger ones too for the samed sized fly's. You can use fur also.

 

Regards,

Mark

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

for cheap just get a shotgun and go hunting upland gamebirds, starlings, grackle, duck, doves, and crows