Should I buy a partridge skin or a hen cape?

[Randyflycaster 0]

I'm looking to tie soft-hackle flies. I believe I can also use feathers from hen capes to form wings, so should I buy a cape instead of a skin? I don't quite understand the differences between a partridge feather and a hen one.

 

P.S. I'm not crazy about the colors of India hens.

 

Thanks again,

 

Randy

[phg 0]

A partridge skin is usually the full skin from an Hungarian partridge. The neck feathers are commonly used to tie soft hackles. They are generally a light blue-grey with dark barring, but there can be significant color variations from skin to skin. The sharp tailed grouse and the ruffed grouse are, more or less, equivalent, from a fly tiers perspective.

 

A hen cape is the neck of a chicken. While there are a lot of colors to choose from, the speckled hen gives a medium brown feather with dark barring that is an acceptable substitute for partridge if you are wanting a slightly darker fly.

 

Personally, I like tying with partridge, so I have several skins. The advantage of the full skin is that you get a variety of textures and color variations to work with.

[rockworm 0]

If you are concerned about wings for soft-hackle flies, the primary and secondary feathers on the partridge wings are, IMO, more suitable than hen neck feathers. There are also small feathers along the leading edges of the wings called marginal coverts that are excellent for the collar on smaller soft-hackle flies.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I have to agree with rockworm on this one do yourself the favor and get the partridge skin

[flytire 0]

get the partridge skin for now but expand your materials later on by getting whiting hebert miner hen capes(only $20) or brahma hen capes/saddles

 

http://www.eflytyer.com/materials/u_soft_hackle.html

[Piker20 0]

I think its important to think about your primary fly sizes too. If you tie a lot of flies under a #12 the partridge is great. I would say buy a male skin. The female is much more subdued.

[Randyflycaster 0]

Folks,

 

Thanks. I generally tie smaller flies. I'll go with the partridge.

 

Randy