Metz or Whiting?

[Futzer 0]

Well Jan, Let me suggest a different perspective. In your case as a young tier, I would buy the best cheapest hackle and save as much money for as many fishing trips as you can possilbly afford. Whiting is my personal favorite, and I use it for exceptional size, quantity and quality. Had I a crystal ball and could give my 20 something self some advice from my future, I would have begged material and fished as much as I could possibly have stood.

 

Cheers, Jeff

[the saltydog 0]

I'll tell you what, hackle today isn't what it was back when we started tying....I still have my first metz grizzly and pale dun necks, it is amazing what genetic breeding has done over the years. Barbule density and stem diameter has improved dramatically.

 

That being said, Futzer make a good point (as usual) fish more and stress less about what hackle to buy.

[Dale 0]

I have to agree with Futzer and saltydog: if your flies catch fish, don't worry about using the prettiest hackle or worry about it too much if they twist a little when you wind them. When we (at least the 'more seasoned' tiers) started, american hackle and India necks were the only game in town. When Metz started, it was a big jump forward. Now with Whiting, it's another log cycle jump in the right direction. Use the cheaper necks to tie flies that catch fish; then go out and catch them, as often and in as many places as you can!!!!!

 

Dale

 

Nice avitar saltydog!!

[Futzer 0]

Thanks, Salty & Dale. And Jan, I neglected to mention that with the floats and shakes of the day, you can float an upside down battleship, so that helps with the less expensive hackle choices. And in the early 70s, necks of any kind were a little hard to find at all, we had to use 3 hackles to do a decent dry fly because the barbule length was so triangulated, and the stems were like pipe cleaners. PM me your address and I will make a custom Whiting hundred pack for you, so you can give them a go.

 

Cheers, Jeff.

[carlp5351 0]

I'm a firm believer in Whiting necks. Every one keeps talking about how much Whiting neck are. I have tied a lot of flies, I think Whiting necks are one of the best values out there. I can tie 2 times more flies out of a Whiting neck, than I can any Keough or Metz. Also I think the flies tied with Whiting necks seem to float longer, because they have more barbs and stiffer barbs. You spending more time fishing than drying out flies.

 

Keough necks are a great value. I buy Keough necks for the odd color that I do not use a lot. Keough stems have a fairly small diameter and a decent barb count on the feather.

 

Metz necks I will not buy any more. The last one I bought after trying to tie one fly I returned the neck. Metz stem diameters are to big very hard to warp. They twist and the stem takes up a lot of space, hard to get the amount of hackle you want on the fly

 

What I think that sets whiting apart from most other hackles, Is there small stem diameter, barb count and feather length. Stem diameter affects the easy in which you can tie the fly. Barb count is important, since that what floats the fly. Lastly feather length, more flies per feather and easy of tying.

 

Here are some pic's trying show this

 

The brown feather is a Whiting Hebert line, bronze grade. The only thing I don't like about the Hebert line is there barb count.

 

The Grizzly Dun is a Keough Neck Tyers Grade

 

The dun feather is a Whiting Silver, about 6 yrs old neck

 

The Grizzly feather is a Whiting Bronze, about 1 year old.

 

These 2 pics show the feather wrapped around the hook. What too look for barb count, and how well they stand out from the hook. These are all wrapped with the same number of wraps.

 

This pic's is showing feather length

 

These last two pic's I'm trying to show barb count

 

 

In closing the whiting necks are more expensive in the initial investment, But in the long run I feel the cost per fly is about the same. The cost per fly also comes with how well you as a tier you mange your feather. Here is an example, when I tie parachutes I tie with 2 feathers, I can tie 3 to 4 flies with those 2 feathers, heavier hackle 3 flies and sparse hackle 4 flies.

 

I now have been plying with some if Whiting saddles, now there is a great value. Need to play with some more before I can truly speak about

 

 

Carlp

 

 

[Arkansas Mike 0]

In your case as a young tier, I would buy the best cheapest hackle and save as much money for as many fishing trips as you can possibly afford.

 

I put in my two cents earlier. Though I am a firm believer in Whiting hackle, I'll add... Futzer is right. You don't have to run out and buy the most

expensive vices, hackle, hooks, etc. etc. to tie nice productive flies. If you have to choose between top of the line tying materials or a trip or two,

I'd go with cheaper quality alternatives to tie your flies and save the $$ for your trip. Jan did, however, ask our opinion in regards to Whiting and Metz

hackle, and if a person can afford it...and wants their flies to look (and perform) as good as possible...shelling out for superior quality materials couldn't hurt. As I mentioned,

my flies certainly look better since I've started using Whiting. I'm glad we no longer live in an era were American hackle and India necks are all that's available. Thankfully, now days, we have options.

 

 

 

 

 

[Futzer 0]

Well said Mike! Cheers, Jeff

[smallieFanatic 0]

Well Jan, Let me suggest a different perspective. In your case as a young tier, I would buy the best cheapest hackle and save as much money for as many fishing trips as you can possilbly afford. Whiting is my personal favorite, and I use it for exceptional size, quantity and quality. Had I a crystal ball and could give my 20 something self some advice from my future, I would have begged material and fished as much as I could possibly have stood.

 

Cheers, Jeff

 

 

Thanks for the advise, I think your totally right. The Metz isn't the best hackle ion the world but it floats my dries and doesn't make me go broke. Thanks for the very generous offer, I will send the Pm.

Thanks everybody for the replies, VERY big help.

 

 

 

 

Jan

[smalltownfisherman 0]

PM me your address and I will make a custom Whiting hundred pack for you, so you can give them a go.

 

Cheers, Jeff.

Can I get one too? Just wondering? :dunno:

[Futzer 0]

PM me your address and I will make a custom Whiting hundred pack for you, so you can give them a go.

 

Cheers, Jeff.

Can I get one too? Just wondering? :dunno:

 

 

Well STFM, I think I can part with a few, I do want to see some new patterns in the DB from you and Jan though.

 

Cheers, Jeff.

 

I will send them this weekend with some swap bugs I have finished for the terrible tandem swap.

[smallieFanatic 0]

I'm on it Jeff

[smalltownfisherman 0]

Well STFM, I think I can part with a few, I do want to see some new patterns in the DB from you and Jan though.

 

Cheers, Jeff.

 

I will send them this weekend with some swap bugs I have finished for the terrible tandem swap.

Thanks for the generous offer Jeff!

 

You will definetly see some new DB submission from me.

 

 

 

Thanks again, Gage.

[Chester Birdnester 0]

I have only been tying for about a year, getting my feet wet in fly fishing by something other than leaky waders after a long hiatus from the sport. My flies aren't anything close to the quality you would buy in a shop, but they can fool a trout once in a while and I really enjoy catching fish on my own flies. I always felt they could be better, but wasn't quite sure how to bring this about, figured it would come in time and concentrated on basics....then I read this thread.

 

Previously I had been using some strung hackle I picked up for 5 bucks at the shop, figured feathers are feathers. Boy, was I wrong ! After reading this I went and bought a Whiting quarter saddle, and can't believe the difference !!! My flies look 200% better, easier to tie... it's like a whole new world. The $5 strung stuff is going straight into the Purgatory Box or get donated to my daughter-in-law who is a crafty person, probably never to see the light of my bench again.

 

Thanks to all for your input on this, it really made a difference. I'm gonna go tie a few more....

 

*returns to the corner to sit quietly, listen and learn*

 

[rstout 0]

I have only been tying for about a year, getting my feet wet in fly fishing by something other than leaky waders after a long hiatus from the sport. My flies aren't anything close to the quality you would buy in a shop, but they can fool a trout once in a while and I really enjoy catching fish on my own flies. I always felt they could be better, but wasn't quite sure how to bring this about, figured it would come in time and concentrated on basics....then I read this thread.

 

Previously I had been using some strung hackle I picked up for 5 bucks at the shop, figured feathers are feathers. Boy, was I wrong ! After reading this I went and bought a Whiting quarter saddle, and can't believe the difference !!! My flies look 200% better, easier to tie... it's like a whole new world. The $5 strung stuff is going straight into the Purgatory Box or get donated to my daughter-in-law who is a crafty person, probably never to see the light of my bench again.

 

Thanks to all for your input on this, it really made a difference. I'm gonna go tie a few more....

 

*returns to the corner to sit quietly, listen and learn*

 

Hang onto the strung feathers. The barbs work great for tails and you can use the tips for wings, and in some cases if you need a really webby hackle, they work there also.

 

I have used Whiting for about 10 years now and have never been disappointed. Just like Futzer, I remember tying with india hackles 1 to 2 inches long. 2 or 3 feathers for a size 10 to 12 dry fly. What a pain.

 

Rob

 

[Scorpio 0]

Hello guys,

is there anybody who could advise me any good e-shop with capes by Whiting, Metz or Keough in the Europe?

Thanx a lot