brahma hen versus partridge

[sheep fly 0]

I am wondering which you like better for tying soft hackles and why. Help appreciated.

[Hans Weilenmann 0]

I am wondering which you like better for tying soft hackles and why. Help appreciated.

 

sheep,

 

This is, for me, not an either-or proposition. Whiting's Brahma hen necks and saddles are an awesome set of products at a great price, and they are in some aspects a viable partridge substitute. This is especially so on smaller size hooks.

 

The mottled saddle barbs are not quite as tapered as partridge barbs, which shows up different specifically on sparsely dressed spider or wingless wet patterns.

 

The stem on Brahma hen hackles is much finer, which makes for a bit easier tying on some patterns.

 

Cheers,

Hans W

 

[sheep fly 0]

I am wondering which you like better for tying soft hackles and why. Help appreciated.

 

Interesting. I've never worked with the hen neck or saddles but I do find it difficult to find partridge that works well on smaller size hooks. Can't get the length right. I will give the Hen a try. Thanks

[rockworm 0]

I am also a big fan of Whiting's Brahma hen. But I prefer partridge to hackle my North Country wets. Fibers of the partridge feather are coarser than the hen and, IMHO, present more of a "leggy" appearance on a sparsley-tyed fly.

 

sheep:

 

Have you tried the feathers from the leading edge of the partridge wing for your smaller flies? I find these and the feathers from the head superb hackles for smaller flies.

 

 

 

[JohnP 0]

To obtain partridge feathers for smaller size hooks, you will want to get an entire skin. The packaged feathers are mostly fluff, and the good feathers are pretty much all for hook sizes no smaller than 14, if that. I have not checked out the Whiting hackle, but Conranch has some really nice hen necks and saddles. I plan to pick up a grizzly and a brown from them when I have the clink.

[sandflyx 0]

I raise my own hens for imitations. so far doing great. going to try another breed into the flock this year to go lighter.

[swellcat 0]

I raise my own hens for imitations. so far doing great. going to try another breed into the flock this year to go lighter.

I've wondered about that — using hackle breeds as yard birds. Guess a rooster that grew a lovely cape would also make fine coq au vin or dumplings.

 

Congratulations on rolling your own.

[planettrout 0]

In this book, Allen McGee describes two methods of using long hackle fibers on small hooks...

 

http://www.amazon.com/Tying-Fishing-Soft-H...n/dp/1571884033

 

!. Distributed collar hackle pg. 35

 

2. Compensated collar hackle pg. 36

 

Both work...

 

PT/TB

[swellcat 0]

Is Charlie's (Flybox) technique the "compensated collar" method?

 

Here's a nice demo of Allen's "distributed collar" technique.

 

Both of these above-linked methods involve cutting out some of the hackle's stem.

[troutguy 0]

I like the intracity of partridge patterns. They seem more movable in water.