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whiting introductory hackle pack

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I'm getting ready to make my first hackle purchase. Wondering if anyone has ever bought these and how good they were? It's 4 half capes but they aren't graded. I don't need grade 1 but If they have a quality problem I'd rather just spend the money on a single saddle at a time

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I have looked at the Wapsi I think packs that are a variety pack and looks like a great starting point for $17 ... though about buying one my self, are you tying Fresh or Saltwater Patterns

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I have no experience with the pack that you mention but I have been very pleased with a multi pack that i Just recently purchased. It is saddle hackles that i bought through cabelas. they are similar to the whiting 100 packs except you can get them in multiple colors. I think they are listed as a value pack on cabelas website. What you get is keough saddle feathers . two each of dun black brown cream and grizzly. Each feather ties about 6 flies. Sizes 14 to 16. I think they are on sale right now for under twenty dollars.

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I got hackle from Collin's farm when I was at the International Fly Tying Symposium in November. Mr. Collins was there representing his farm, and he recommended his commercial grade capes for beginners. He breeds his own chickens and guarantees all of his products. This means that if you have a problem with twisting or breaking, you can return the feathers to him for a replacement. He was such a cool guy, and he even picked out what he thought would be the best capes for me! Here's a link to his site, but if you get a chance to meet him and speak with him in person you definitely should!

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I bought one of these last year at a fly tying show out of despiration because I needed some grizzly hackle for a pattern I was tying at the show and couldn't find a cape for less than 2x the price. It is okay for dryflys. The quality was reasonable, and there is a pretty good selection of sizes on the capes. I honestly would not buy this again because I think you can get better quality buying individual capes, but for a beginner it is probably a good way to start at a reasonable price. Keep in mind that a lot of the packs and saddles mentioned are much better quaity, but also much more restricted in the number of sizes you will get.

 

Edit: To Ristarwen's point, Collins hackle is fantastic. I was hoping to buy from him and he did not attend the show that year. He is also one of the few people that you can trust to buy from over the phone. If you can, give him a call and see what he has to offer, or catch him at one of the shows.

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I brought a mixed whitings bag when I started and found it great. I agree once you are tying a bit you will buy better quality capes but these bags are a good introduction.

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ok back to the whiting introductory hackle pack

 

it would seem foolish for a beginner fly tyer to rush out and buy 1 $90 cape when you can get this offer from whiting for $65.

 

these will be good enough hackle for a newbie to practice with and good enough for tying dry flies. when you become a more proficient tyer then you can upgrade to the higher quality necks and saddles. this offer is going to give you hackles to tie from 10-16 with no problems.

 

go for it

 

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/NM-630065-0000/75000/Whiting-Farms-Introductory-Hackle-Pack---4-half-capes.html

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I looked into Colin's hackle. Looks like great stuff. My wife and I are planning a trip to New York this spring for some rafting on the black river and then over to roscoe for some fly fishing. It looks like Collins hackle farm is right in between the two so I'm workin on making it a pit stop. It will be my first time fly fishing out of state. But for now I think I'll get started using this pack. No sense tying a bunch of junk flys with really good hackle. After I use it up ill definitely upgrade. And I will be ordering through j.s. even though I'm a half hour from cabelas.

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ok back to the whiting introductory hackle pack

 

it would seem foolish for a beginner fly tyer to rush out and buy 1 $90 cape when you can get this offer from whiting for $65.

 

these will be good enough hackle for a newbie to practice with and good enough for tying dry flies. when you become a more proficient tyer then you can upgrade to the higher quality necks and saddles. this offer is going to give you hackles to tie from 10-16 with no problems.

 

go for it

 

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/NM-630065-0000/75000/Whiting-Farms-Introductory-Hackle-Pack---4-half-capes.html

 

Agreed....I would even go so far as to say that one each of the half-saddle and half-cape packs would be a good investment.

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a cape comes from the neck, less webby feathers. The saddle as it sounds comes from the back and is webbier and good for wets and streamers etc.

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ok back to the whiting introductory hackle pack

 

it would seem foolish for a beginner fly tyer to rush out and buy 1 $90 cape when you can get this offer from whiting for $65.

 

these will be good enough hackle for a newbie to practice with and good enough for tying dry flies. when you become a more proficient tyer then you can upgrade to the higher quality necks and saddles. this offer is going to give you hackles to tie from 10-16 with no problems.

 

go for it

 

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/item/NM-630065-0000/75000/Whiting-Farms-Introductory-Hackle-Pack---4-half-capes.html

I largely agree with this, but I would say anyone paying $90 for a cape needs to find a new supplier!

It is important though to understand what you are giving up to save a few bucks. High quality materials make it easier to tie better flys, and new tyers can get discouraged trying to work with junk. That does not mean that a bargain like the Whiting intro packs are a bad idea, but you need to understand what you are buying.

The picture below shows 2 #14 feathers plucked off 2 capes. I pulled the first #14s that I found. On the left is a feather from the Whiting intro pack, and on the right is a feather from a full commercial grade cape that cost about $30 this past November. Things to notice, the left side has significantly more fluff at the bottom that has to be stripped off for dry fly use, has a lower barb count and thicker barbs, and an overall shorter useful length. While these points make it a less desirable feather, all in all, it is okay and I can tie a good dry fly with this feather. But also, notice the shaft of the feathers. The left side shaft is thicker, which will make it harder to wrap and more difficult to lay in close wraps. Also notice that the right hand side of the feather on the left is lifting from the surface. this is because there is a twist in the shaft that will have to be compensated for as it is wound. These issues, in my opinion, are significant for the beginner.

So is this worth the savings? The half capes are about $15 each so there is really no savings in this example. But you will likely pay a higher price for anything in a flyshop or online (thats why I buy at shows). You may save a few dollars and get reasonable results, but understand that you will also have a steeper learning curve and will have to guard against frustration. I started tying on the old style Indian and Chinese capes that often required 2 or 3 feathers for one fly. It was a battle to get to the point where I could turn out a decent hackled dry fly. The Whiting intro packs are vastly superior to that, so I'm sure it can be done. Just remember, it gets easier with practice!

Mike.

hacklecomparison.jpg

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