First attemp tying on a small hook...

[add147 0]

I came across some Eagle Claw number 8 live bait hooks. Yes I know that they probably are not the best type of hook to use for trout. To me they are small hooks but I know some of the trout fisherman fish with even smaller hooks. Any I used a 5/32 bead, 6/0 Danville black thread, mallard breast feather for the tail portion, and I have no idea what type of hackle. I included a picture of the hackle so someone might be able to identify it for me.

 

Question: I got everything tied I thought the hackle was to long. Is it a cardinal sin to trim a hackle with a pair of scissors? Tying on small hooks is much more difficult that those larger hooks used for bass fishing...LOL

 

As always feel free to chime in and give me you option. Good or bad!!!

[flytire 0]

the hackle looks to be badger and more suited to feather wing streamers

 

 

Is it a cardinal sin to trim a hackle with a pair of scissors?

 

on a dry fly? maybe (you will be told you shouldnt)

 

on your little wooly bugger? go fish it and let the fish decide!

[utyer 0]

It was common practice at one time to trim hackle on the :"hackle" flies. Woolly worms were called hackle flies back in Izaak Walton's day. Charles Cotton described tying the hackle in long, and then explained that they sometimes trimmed it down or off as the fish desired.

 

As for the hook. its a "standard" shank length, and your woolly worm would look better (at least to me,) on a 3 or 4 XL shank. Size 8 is a BIG hook for trout flies. Now that you have gotten that under your belt, start working down until you get to size 20 or 24. Then you will know what small really is. Someone once said that the most common size for trout flies was a size 14.

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I think the hackle on your fly looks fine...like Utyer said let the fish decide. There are some who will tell you that it's a sin to trim hackle, but fly tying is a little like the world of dieting and weight loss in that way: for anything you might choose to try, there will be people cheering you on and other people telling you that you'll die a horrible death for doing what you're doing. Do what works for you and the fish and let everyone else sort themselves out.

 

#8 would be considered a large hook for insect imitations, but for a woolly bugger or streamer (baitfish imitations) it's in the normal range, although as Utyer also noted, those flies typically use a hook with a 3x-4x long shank. I tie most of my buggers and streamers on 3XL hooks in #4, 6 and 8. If you like big hooks, there are streamers for trout that are tied on #2 and larger hooks. It all depends on what you're trying to imitate.

[André Ribeiro 0]

It's difficult to identify what kind of hackle is only by this pic. It could be a common saddle but chances are to be a coq de leon too, anyway it's look like a cock feather.

 

The size of the hook depends on the fly type and the food available where you intend to fish. For terrestrials and streamers it could vary between #6 and #10, on the other side for midges it could reach #24. And as already said, the shank length could vary a lot.

 

The hackle is ok! For this pattern (kind of woolly bugger) the hackle is normally 1.5x or 2x the hook gap. You can trim it, but I guess it's not necessary, and you will discover it's not so easy to trim it equally all around.

 

Next time you tie one, take some attention to the tail, the fibers should be on the top of the shank, in this picture you can note they are at the side of the shank.

 

You should also position your fly a little far from the background (to avoid the shadows), it will produce a better pic.

 

Big Hug

[mikechell 0]

I use Eagle Claw hooks all the time. Be careful of the bait hooks, if they are the ones with the barbs on the shaft. You can wrap right over them, but the slightest slip of the thread will cut it and the fly will come undone. You can crimp the barbs, but I just put a little cement on them to "soften the edges" and hold the thread.

 

Your bug will kill the Sunfish, it looks good for that. I don't know about trout. It IS a cardinal sin to trim the hackle, but life's no fun without a little sin now and then. I, personally, don't like the squared off look of scissor cut hackle. Since hackle is soft when wet, and not generally in the way of a hookset, I'd leave it long and see if the fish like it as much as I do.