Using two different sized hackles on Fran Betters Ausable Wulff

[Byron 0]

When I wrap two hackles, I "wiggle" the second hackle while wrapping to avoid the issue. If I use two hackles of the same size, they usually come out the same length.......based on visual inspection....have not measured closely.

[DrLogik 0]

I met Fran on a few occasions in his shop. I watched him tie a dozen flies or more also. That was about 10 years ago when we used to go vacation in the Adirondacks. I can tell you that he tied his flies to catch fish, period. They weren't glamorous. They were scruffy and really buggy looking; however, on the stream those scruffy buggy flies were a trout magnet.

 

As a matter of fact, after my first visit with him and I showed some of my fishing buddies the Ausable Wulffs I got from him they all laughed. Seriously, they all laughed at the flies saying they were ugly, why would a fish take that, etc. Once they did a bit of research to find out who this Fran Betters guy is their tune changed. Pretty funny.

 

I don't think he put too much thought into hackle length. He had a pile of pre-selected materials spread out in front of him when he sat down to tie. He had a pile of hackles he had selected from a neck, swatches of fur, a pile of hooks, etc. He could literally be looking and talking to you while he was tying the fly. Darndest thing. I know I can't do that. His main thing was to make the fly look and act like a bug on the water.

 

I think we read too much into flies in general. Yeah, I also want my flies to look good but catchability is still more important in my book than looks.

[Byron 0]

When I use two hackles on a fly, first, I "wiggle" the second hackle through the first to help find its way to a bare location, and if I have chosen two hackles with equal length barbules, The completed fly sure looks to have equal length hackle tips.

 

I find that there is room for two hackle stems to fit behind and in front of the wings.

 

Just my observations.