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Grizzly tailing source

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Anyone have a source for some grizzly hackle that would be good for tailing ? Thnx

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Thanks Bryon I'm dubious but for 5 bucks it's worth a shot. I think grizzly is tough to fine long and without web. We'll see. Thanks GP but genetics have pretty much bred out the spade hackle on most capes.

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I've seen some coq de leon that was specked a lot like grizzly. Feather Emporium has lots of CDL options.

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Ordered some Whiting tailing from FE last night. I'll post a review after recieving. Thanks for all the inputs.

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Just buy a full cape, and use the larger feathers for tailing. That's most of what I've done for years. For a dry fly, you want the tail fibers to be nearly as stiff as the hackle. Some saddle feathers are passable, but generally, they are too soft.

 

A couple of years ago, I thought one of those tailing packs might be a better way to go, so I squandered the $5 to buy one. They are close to worthless. The feathers are too soft, and, generally, too weakly patterned. I'll never buy another one.

 

I used to be able to get Chinese or Indian capes, which were of marginal dry fly quality. They made good tailing and well as streamer wings, but the bird flu scare, nearly a decade ago, put an end to that. No one imports them any more.

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phg I have a whiting Silver Grizzly cape. Great feathers for dries but not somuch for dry tailing material and yes I'm not optimistic about these tailing packs. We will see.

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There's always white microfibettes with black bands added with a sharpie if you can't find natural fibers that work.

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Thanks spiral for that option but I'm stubborn. I'll find em.

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I recommended the $5 tailing pack from FE because it is advertised on their site as being sourced from Collins Hackle Farm (www.collinshacklefarm.com), with whom I've long done business and received excellent quality hackle. I bought one of their tailing packs many years ago (probably close to 20 years ago now), and it did contain a good number of feathers suitable for tailing dry flies. I have no idea if their current offerings are the same quality, but based on my experience with Collins I felt comfortable recommending them.

 

I would also note that all of the dry fly capes that I've bought from Collins have included generous portions of feathers with barbs that were long and stiff enough to serve as dry fly tails.

 

If the tailing pack is a no-go, I would second others' recommendations of Coq de Leon.

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