hackle for dry flies

[chazg 0]

Hi all, I have a question that I need help with. Im going to advance myself and start tying some dry flies and Im confused on what type of hackles to use.. aka saddle, cape, rooster, hen...very confusing here...Im mainly tying between size 12 to 16 to get started and I am looking to tie some BWO, light cahil, march browns, sulphurs and adams to start..any suggestion on what to buy here and in what colors?? I currently have nothing dry fly wise to start so any help would be much appreciated. Oh and Im looking at tying catskill style dries and maybe some wuff style for faster current.

[SilverCreek 0]

Dry flies are ties with rooster hackle not hen. Capes give you the entire selection of sizes and saddles give you longer feathers with about 2- 3 sizes. So if you are going to tie all sizes of flies, a cape would cover all sizes. A saddle would allow you to tie many hundreds of flies of a given size. So you buy a saddle for a specific size of fly hackle.

 

The least expensive option with good hackle would be to buy Whiting 100 packs of saddle hackle in the correct size and color. They won't be cheap.

[rockworm 0]

Your best value is the full cape ASSUMING YOU EVENTUALLY USE MOST OF IT. A cape will have useful hackle from about size 6 to size 24 (maybe a few larger and a few smaller.) IMHO Whiting is the gold standard for both capes and saddles. But if you are on a tight budget the good folk here will be happy to suggest less expensive brands. My second choice, for reasons of cost AND colour selection, would be Collins. The flies you have chosen to start on all use different colour hackles: blue dun ( BWO), ginger (sulphurs and light Cahill), ginger plus grizzly (march browns) and brown and grizzly (Adams.) Unless you have a large wallet I would suggest limiting your initial purchase to one or two colours and just tye those flies to start. You will find dozens of patterns for any one hackle colour.

[chazg 0]

Rockworm, let me ask you this. What would you recommend I start tying and what colors should I purchase. I live in north eastern PPAif that would help.. Money wise haha (married with children). I have a few bucks and dont mind starting off with 1 or 2 colors. And as for whiting capes, will I get years out of it ??

[chazg 0]

Also did anyone ever purchase the whiting farms intro hackle pack ? And were you pleased ??

[chazg 0]

Also did anyone ever purchase the whiting farms intro hackle pack ? And were you pleased ??

[rockworm 0]

Rockworm, let me ask you this. What would you recommend I start tying and what colors should I purchase. I live in north eastern PPAif that would help.. Money wise haha (married with children). I have a few bucks and dont mind starting off with 1 or 2 colors. And as for whiting capes, will I get years out of it ??

Unless you are a production tyer you will get years out of any good skin. I am still using capes and saddles I bought 25 years ago and the feathers are no worse off for their age. If I could have just one colour I would choose a dun. With that you can tye BWOs, Gray Wulffs, Irresistibles, Hendricksons, Quill Gordons, Blue Quills, Deer Hair Caddis, and many more. If I could have only two colours I would choose brown and grizzly to tye Adams, Dark Cahills, many of the Wulffs, Chuck- and other Caddis, Stimulators and other Stoneflies, and many more.

[phg 0]

If by NE PA you mean the Scranton-Wilksbara area, do yourself a favor and drive over to Pine City, NY (just southwest of Elmira) and see what Charlie Collins has to offer. He used to offer 5 tyers grade capes for about $50. That was several years ago, but if you were to talk to him and tell him what you wanted, I'm sure he could put together a selection of capes, that would meet your needs, at a bargain price.

 

Remember, with genetic hackles, the difference in grades has to do with the size range and number of feathers on the cape, not the quality of the individual feathers. Commercial cape feathers are just as good as Gold cape feathers, there just aren't as many of them, and the colors could be off a bit.

[SilverCreek 0]

Read these:

 

http://stevenojai.tripod.com/genhack.htm

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

[chazg 0]

Thanks gents for the input.. I think i'm going to start off with choosing 2 colors...problem is now which 2 to start with....I think I'm also going to look into Whiting Farms Intro packs...

[trez 0]

I originally posted here but it was long winded...

I've sent you a PM about getting you some hackle.

[flytire 0]

if you intend on tying dozens of flies in one size then you should buy the saddle hackles with the foot long feathers that will yield up to 6 flies

 

if you intend to tie multiple sizes of flies then a cape/neck is what you want to buy

 

since you seem to be a new tyer, i would look into the whiting introductory pack that will give you 4/5 different cut in half capes in 4/5 different colors or you can buy just a half cape in whatever color you want at a reasonable price

 

http://www.featheremporium.com/

 

grizzly/brown combo pack

 

 

intro pack 5 colors

 

 

saddle hackles

 

 

neck/cape

 

 

without a doubt whiting is the best but as a new tyer, don't be afraid to pay a visit to the other hackle grower like metz, collins, keough, ewing etc

[williamhj 0]

Depending on where you live, see if there will be a fly fishing show in your area. Ex in January the fly fishing show will be in Denver and Keough Hackles will be there. Last year got some good deals on hackle. If you chat with the folks at the booth they can help you find the right cape or saddle. Sometimes there are slight variants on the traditional colors that will work just fine.

[wschmitt3 0]

I purchased the whiting intro pack from cabellas and wasn't very happy with it. Most of my feathers were too webby for really good dry fly hackle. It's best to buy what you need for the flies you want to tie. Who ever needs a whole half cape of Black rooster hackle?

 

I have purchased 1/2 capes and full capes as well as bugger packs and 100 packs from feather emporium and have been very very happy with the quality and service I received. Also he has winger packs (hen feathers for mayfly wings) that are well worth the $15.

 

I would recommend picking just one or two flies in a few sizes (I suggest adams sz 12-16 and light cahill 14-16) order a mixed size hundred pack of hackle for each. For the adams you'll need brown and ginger(I just use dark barred ginger, I love dark barred ginger). For the light cahill you'll need light ginger. A winger pack for the adams and a small bunch of mallard flank for the cahill and the dubbing for each and your all set to tie lots and lots of each. More than you'll ever need for fishing.

[SilverCreek 0]

Hi all, I have a question that I need help with. Im going to advance myself and start tying some dry flies and Im confused on what type of hackles to use.. aka saddle, cape, rooster, hen...very confusing here...Im mainly tying between size 12 to 16 to get started and I am looking to tie some BWO, light cahil, march browns, sulphurs and adams to start..any suggestion on what to buy here and in what colors?? I currently have nothing dry fly wise to start so any help would be much appreciated. Oh and Im looking at tying catskill style dries and maybe some wuff style for faster current.

 

For a freestone fishery, a size 14 dry fly seems to be the most popular size. So the most popular dry fly is probably a size 14 Adams.

 

I have both necks and saddles that I have accumulated over years of fly tying.

 

If you are going to tie only the size 12 - 16 dries that you state, I strongly suggest buying a size 12- 14 saddle or half saddle. The best option in my opinion is to buy the professional grade saddles from Hebert-Miner (Hebert is also produced by Whiting). Hebert Miner saddles run larger than Whiting Saddles. That is just what you need for the sizes you will tie.

 

Since you can upsize the hackle on parachute flies, you can tie a size 16 parachute with a size 14 length hackle. That strategy would cover all your sizes with one saddle hackle. If you choose a saddle, you MUST let the shop know what size you want. Jim's Fly company is one option. Jim Slattery is an honest dealer and you should call him rather than put an order through the internet and ask him to pick the saddle personally. There are other dealers as well who will personally pick the hackle for you.

 

http://www.jimsflyco.com/hebert-miner-pro-grade-saddles/