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dflanagan

Krosch hackle?

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While looking around for some different capes and saddles I came across Krosch hackle farm. Anyone have experience with their feathers? I did a search here but only found one mention of the name and no real description.

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I did look at their site. Kinda looking for reviews. It looks like decent hackle from pictures but I'm still learning. I don't know how it is to tie with. I don't imagine it's Whiting quality but what are the main differences? Have you tried it? Can you compare the two?

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Your relative success/frustration will depend partly upon what styles of flies you are looking to tie. I have gone almost exclusively to parachute patterns for dry flies - I can get away with the old indian capes for this application. The capes you mention here might be ok for less demanding applications - the prices seem good but a limited selection of colors. You might want to look into Collins hackle farm in NY state - I have many of Charlie's capes and have never been dissappointed.

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Never tried it but I don't like the photos on the website. The necks look kinda sparse to me. The price is pretty good, but I've always believed in getting really good hackle because I think it's easier to tie with good hackle. A good Whiting neck can last you YEARS of tying. A pro can use cheap hackle, but I'm not a pro.

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I have a few of them, sometimes you can get them on eBay for $15-25 each. They aren't dry fly capes, (at least the ones I have) but they will work great for flies you want longer fibers, and you get tons of feathers! Decent bugger feathers.

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Thanks for the responses, everyone. Really helpful. McFly and Pete, just what I was looking for. I'm looking mostly for dry fly material but if you can't recommend it for that, I'll go with Collins. Been wanting to order from him for a while, anyway.

 

Thanks, all.

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Thanks for the responses, everyone. Really helpful. McFly and Pete, just what I was looking for. I'm looking mostly for dry fly material but if you can't recommend it for that, I'll go with Collins. Been wanting to order from him for a while, anyway.

 

Thanks, all.

Glad I could help. Yeah the fibers are just too long (and not stiff enough) for the types of dries I would tie. But it's honestly really really good for buggers and even could work with large stimulator patterns. But they would have to be large. Good luck, tell us how you like the collins...

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Collins is great if you do the grab bag you can request colors I did and he sent everyone I asked for, with a hand written not on the paper I wrote the list on saying he was happy to.

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Collins' grab bag is the best deal, if you are just starting out and don't have many hackles. Charlie used to tie flies himself, so he understands what we are looking for. The grab bag is made up of whatever he has on hand at the time, but they will all be different and they will all be usable. As other have found, if you will include a note telling him what colors you need, he'll do his best to oblige.

 

Great guy to work with, and really good quality hackles. Some rate him as second only to Whiting. In his barred colors, though, I think his neck feathers are superior in quality (although the feather count and length are slightly less.)

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Bringing this thread back because of the Collins love fest. I hope you don’t mind.

 

I am finally bringing myself close to ordering from Collins, from all the good feedback, despite having to do it via mail.

 

But I have a couple of questions for those who ordered the commercial grab bag from him:

 

- Is the grab bag four capes and four saddles? The website says every cape comes with matching saddle, but that would be almost too good to be true in the case of the grab bag.

- Are they perhaps small capes and/or saddles?

- Finally, you guys say you can choose colors, but his website says that the grab bag is in colors of his choice. New policy or covering his bases just in case?

 

Thanks in advance.

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interesting, Krosch stuff looks (as far as pictures go) to be good wet/streamer material to me, but at this time his entire stock consists of four pieces that $75 would buy all. Book marked for future to see what the new crop is.

 

Bimini 15, you ought to give the guy a call, horse's mouth and all. Might ask him for colors you would prefer too (607)734-1765

He does say send him a note with the check, but I'm thinking he listed that phone just in case we have questions.

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