FeathersMc

Hi everyone. Bud asked me to post this for him. He still doesn't have electricity from the last storm and isn't sure when he will get it back, let alone his computer service. Please hold off on sending him any flies for the swap right now. He'll be back on line soon and will advise you when to send them. He's sorry for the inconvenience but his area was hit hard with Gustav and they are bracing for Ike. Lets keep our fingers crossed that Ike misses them. John McLain

Shaq All I can tell you is everything the other guys have said is right on. Most importantly if you want to make a little money doing this, start with a lot of it. John

Like TroutBum says Spey Cock Hackle came from the tails of a chicken that no longer exists as a breed. The best substitute I’ve found for that feather is Rooster Coque (Tail and Side Tail Feathers) like the picture above. They are 10 – 12 inches long with sturdy barbs (which you want) and a thin supple rachis (stem or quill) making it quite easy to work with. The old patterns used natural multicolored hackles very similar to the ones on the right. John