Hackle Keeps Twisting When I Wrap

[Randyflycaster 0]

I'm still have this problem: When I wrap my soft hackle it keeps twisting, making it

hard to keep the barbs pointing rearward.

 

I've been tying in the feathers by the stem (the base). I have two kinds of hackle

pliers, the standard English type and the wire-holder type.

 

Any solutions?

 

Thanks,

 

Randy

[Piker20 0]

Crackaig showed me an almost sure fire way to tie in the hackle so it wants to sit straight. Maybe he'll post a pic of it?????

But basically you strip away the fluff and leave yourself with the feather as you want to tie in. Now take you sharp scissors and CAREFULLY cut away 5or6 fibres from the stem, cutting IN TOWARD the stem narrowing as you look up the stem toward the tip. So you'll be left with a small triangle on one side of the stem, thick end down. Now repeat the other side of stem but only cut 3 or 4 fibres this side. Now tie the hackle in over these stubby triangles. When you start to wind the hackle its like it magically keeps itself straight.

[phg 0]

I always tie soft hackles in by the tip. First, though, I stroke the feather so the barbs stand straight out from the stem, and then I CUT off the barbs that will be on the underside of the wrap. Then, I make one turn, stroke the barbs back, make the second turn, and stroke those barbs back. Usually, 2 turns is plenty for a soft hackle.

[rotaryflytyingdotcom 0]

I'm with phg, I often tie my soft hackles on by the tip. It's a lot easier to make the thin tip behave.

However, if you want to tie the feather in by the butt end of the stem you can use a method I first saw in Dave Hughes book "Wet Flies." It might help.

For this method you tie the feather on first - sticking out over the tip. There is plenty of length to trap the stem if the soft hackle you're tying has a ball of dubbing or a couple of wraps of herl that serve to keep the soft hackle sticking out from the hook shank. Trapped like this the stem doesn't twist much.

 

 

 

This photo is from an old series I did on tying a flymph. I'm not sure how long ago I did it but it's one of my "before video" series. Streaming video sure beats the photo series we used to rely on.

 

Here's a link to the Flymph step-by-step.

http://www.maineflyfishing.com/lt%20cahill%20wet/tying.htm

[Christopher K 0]

Draw the fibres down (so they stick out from the stem), then carefully fold the barbs to one side, be firm so they stay that way but be careful not to break the stem, you may need to lick your finger to get it to one side.

[heavynets 0]

When that happens to me I just call it a Tenkara fly.

[Randyflycaster 0]

Folks, thanks for all the great help. I'm grateful that you're not tired of all my questions.

 

Randy

[Montanacur 0]

Randy, you might want to go and watch tightline's productions VIMEO video for the Guide's Choice Hare's Ear. He ties it in from the tip. I used his method and it works really well. These are by far my favorite videos on the web. They are done from the tyer's perspective and are very informative.

Here is the link.

 

http://vimeo.com/61026294

[rotaryflytyingdotcom 0]

Hey Randy, Those Tightline videos are better than good. The technique phg mentioned is highlighted in this video Montanacur mentions - it gives you a really good "tie it in by the tip" closeup.

[Crackaig 0]

Tying in by the tip, as in the video, is the usual way to do it. Its how the hackle is tied in on North Country Spiders, except the hackle is tied in right at the beginning. The technique Piker 20 mentioned above is for cock hackles not game bird. If you want a real challenge try any of the woodcock hackled spiders and fold the hackle like that. The most deft of touches in needed as the woodcock has the most delicate stem I know of. Cheers, C.

[Old Hat 0]

With hen and game birds. I much prefer to tie in with the lower stem. You're going to get a lot of different answers try them all and find the one that works for you.

 

Rotary has it almost. Tie in as in his picture but strip away a few fibers from one side,from the portion of the lower stem that is away from you, This would be on the top as in his photo. Or, as looking at the underside of the feather, the fibers would be on the left of the stem. Stripping, not cutting, will take a small portion of the stem away. This leaves a flat area along the side of the stem. Before you wrap your hackle. push the hackle upright at a 90 degree angle to the hook shank. Then begin your wraps. The initial flat spot created by the stripping will set the hackle the proper way against the hook and nearly eliminate any twist that may occur.

[rotaryflytyingdotcom 0]

Yea, what Old Hat said:

 

You're going to get a lot of different answers try them all and find the one that works for you.

 

His comment reminded me of two comments Dave Hughes made in the section on Soft hackles in his book. Specific to Old Hat's suggestion is a recommendation by Hughes that you strip - not cut - all the fibers from the top of the feather in my photo. ALL the top fibers the whole length of the quill section you will wrap which results in a much sparser fly - a must some say for slower waters. His second comment was to crush the butt section of the stem between your fingernails - the crushing causes the quill fibers to split lengthwise and makes it easier to wrap without breaking the stem.

[Randyflycaster 0]

Wow! I had no idea of the benefits of stripping off - instead of cutting - barbs from the stem.

 

Randy

[Old Hat 0]

Cutting has it's purposes as well, just not necessarily for what you are needing.

[Crackaig 0]

The stripping of one side of the hackle is something I've never understood. One aim is to avoid excess bulk at the head of the fly. Why then would you strip away the fibres? To achieve a given number of barbs in the hackle more stem has to be wound around the hook shank with a feather stripped on one side than one that it isn't. In the case of game bird hackles with steeply tapered stems you could end up with four times the bulk for a given number of barbs. I do not see the logic in doing this. I know many people do it this way, and some nice flies are achieved. It just seems stripping the hackle is working against this.

Cheers,

C.