Partridge Feathers

[Lotech Joe 0]

I've been trying to find some partridge feathers in the small packet and I can't find any locally. I can find partridge skins, but I don't want to pay $35 for $5 worth of feathers. Does anybody know where I can find partridge feathers in brown and natural for the smallest amount in shipping? I'm planning to tie a bunch of soft hackles this winter so I can join the crowd of folks next spring who have caught fish on soft hackles.

Thanks,

Lotech Joe

[mikechell 0]

Hey Joe !!!

Seems like it's been a long time since you posted last.

Are you still making furled leaders? If you are, there might be some people on here willing to trade you the feathers you want for a couple of custom leaders.

[flytire 0]

ebay has a few sellers sellin packages of feathers

[mvendon 0]

Hey Joe,

 

Like Norm suggested, there's at least this one on ebay. He has one natural left and four in the brown/olive color. The brand is pretty reliable for quality duck and goose quills, and the feathers look pretty good on the zoom feature.

 

Regards,

Mark

[Hazathor 0]

The hairline packs of partridge are sold by many online retailers for a little over $3. Those packs look like someone grabbed a handful of partridge and stuffed it in a bag. there's a lot of chaff and junk feathers, but there is also a great quantity of quality feathers in that bag too! I have a bag of the natural and there is a range of natural feathers present, most in the typical white speckled coloration, but also some in a more brown to tan color as well.

[Hazathor 0]

I'll give a thumbs up to mvendons link. Every feather I've gotten from the Nature's Spirit Premium line has been fantastic! ...though I've not gotten partridge from them.

[Kentuckysteve 0]

I've been trying to find some partridge feathers in the small packet and I can't find any locally. I can find partridge skins, but I don't want to pay $35 for $5 worth of feathers. Does anybody know where I can find partridge feathers in brown and natural for the smallest amount in shipping? I'm planning to tie a bunch of soft hackles this winter so I can join the crowd of folks next spring who have caught fish on soft hackles.

Thanks,

Lotech Joe

PM me your mailing address and i will send you a packet.

[fshng2 0]

Since Joe's need has been met with places to buy and a generous offer.

I thought it fair to mention; a good place to look at this time of year is in a pear tree.

[whatfly 0]

Ante up and buy the skin. The number of usable feathers in those little packets is pathetic. If you are planning to tie a "bunch" of flies, I doubt a packet are going to meet your needs. I've bought packets of partridge that barely had a dozen useful feathers in them. Either use an alternative feather (hint: grizzly hen works just fine) or get a full skin.

[TheCream 0]

My perspective is from a tyer who used to buy bags of partridge and finally broke down and bought a whole skin. There's no comparison. None. In a package of feathers, in my experience with several bags bought, the vast majority of it is unusable junk. Are there some good feathers, sure. Not many. The skin has an enormous amount of just gorgeous and usable partridge feathers. I tie a lot of soft hackles, so getting the skin was worthwhile for me. Lots and lots of feathers in lots of sizes, so to me, if you're going to tie a lot of soft hackles I suggest buying the skin.

[mikechell 0]

Not every one can afford to buy whole skins ... especially with the knowledge of only using a small percentage of the material.

 

Perhaps, Joe, you can go in with someone, buy a skin and split it?

[flytire 0]

buy a whiting brahma hen. cheaper than a full partridge skin

 

soft hackle hen capes

 

[redietz 0]

My perspective is from a tyer who used to buy bags of partridge and finally broke down and bought a whole skin. There's no comparison. None. In a package of feathers, in my experience with several bags bought, the vast majority of it is unusable junk. Are there some good feathers, sure. Not many. The skin has an enormous amount of just gorgeous and usable partridge feathers. I tie a lot of soft hackles, so getting the skin was worthwhile for me. Lots and lots of feathers in lots of sizes, so to me, if you're going to tie a lot of soft hackles I suggest buying the skin.

 

I completely agree. I use every feather on the skin (expect maybe the fluff.) Not only will you get hundred of soft hackles out the skin, the wings are great for quill wing flies; the tail feather make excellent tailing material. Lately, I've been using the grey feathers instead of wood duck as wings on smaller Catskill flies (and it's a lot cheaper than wood duck.) Shop around; you can still find #2 skins for less than $30. (Earlier this year, Blue Ribbon flies had some for $10, but obviously, they sold out quickly.)

 

Buying packets of feathers is false economy.

[Guest]

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[phg 0]

Find a hunter that shots upland game birds. All of them are suitable substitutes for partridge. Quail, snipe, grouse even hen pheasant all work just as well.