Gallo de León

[Bimini15 0]

Two questions:

 

1. It was always my understanding that only feathers from roosters in a very particular place in León, Spain, would have the fabled properties. So, are the ones grown in the US and other places still great? Is this all a thing of the past because of genetics?

 

2. Why does everybody use the French word "coq" to refer to the Spanish roosters from León?

[Dave G. 0]

 

On a more serious note, this article might help explain it a bit better (actually there is an entire book written on it): http://www.pardondemeana.com/en/la_pluma_gallo_leon.aspx

[Bimini15 0]

Thanks for the link. I am somewhat familiar with the "Feather Valley" area.

 

My question is for those who tie with cdl and can compare the real thing from León against the cdl from different origins. Is there a notable difference to the educated eye? It is not my kind of tying, so I know I could not tell the difference.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

These are what i have, i've had the Whiting rooster capes for a while, but only got the real stuff couple of weeks ago! Haven't tied with it yet, but from feel, you can not compare the two, even feels better than a feather! Would have bought more if i had more money!

[Bimini15 0]

Adam,

Is that a dozen saddle hackles for almost 8 euros?

[mikechell 0]

Just another of those items that catches more fly TIERS than it does fish.

Just because it's been catching anglers for centuries doesn't make that any less true.

[Bimini15 0]

Mike, I think that is what was in the back of my mind when I asked the question. I guess In a way am trying to justify the price.

We Spaniards are traditionally horrible at selling our stuff, so if these feathers sell themselves around the world, they must be good...!

[johnnyquahog 0]

Sorry if I am telling you what you all know already.. what makes the feathers on the right side pictures so special is a couple things. They are plucked from the bird by hand so he is not dieing for our fly tying satisfaction. The spade hackles are primarily used for tailing on dry flies, as in Catskill style patterns. Not sure why they are being compared to the capes from Whiting???

[mikechell 0]

Yeah, I'm sticking with my original opinion. Since people are tying, and catching fish, with everything from flip flop material to christmas tree tinsel ... I don't see any reason to buy expensive materials.

Thanks for the information, Johnny. It is good to know that the chickens are tortured by plucking the feathers, rather than humanely killed and skinned.

[Bimini15 0]

Johny,

 

The folks at Whiting have come up with their own CDL, bred from roosters originally brought from Spain. Those are, technically, CDL capes too, I imagine produced at a much larger scale in the US.

 

Here is the thing... The story goes that the roosters loose their luster once they leave the area where they have been bred for centuries, which is just the kind of thing the sceptic in me can't easily take without raising questions: how far do they have to go exactly for the decline to start? Does it happen it all at once or per mile? And, a bit more seriously, what is the point of mass production away from León, then?

 

In reading about it, the producers from León chuckle at the idea of raising CDL anywhere else, as if they know something. But the fact is that most of the fabled CDL sold around the world is not from León and still seems to be well valued by fly tiers.

 

Can't wait for Adam to give us a first hand view on the tying aspect of it.

 

Mike,

I know this kind of mysticism around materials is not your cup of tea. But... imagine tying poppers with foam from Cinderella's flip-flops... Magical...!!!

[vicrider 0]

I think a lot of it is ancient practices with the feathers available years ago. Before you had Whiting, Conranch, Metzler, developing and breeding birds based on fly tying feather quality they had to use any feather available to them at the time. One of the biggest problems with these feathers of the past was their softness. If you want a good dry fly you don't pull off a clump of feathers from soft hackle he cape. These would splay out all over and give poor support. Coq De Leon feathers had both a mottled or barred coloration to them and a stiffness not available from the domestic birds. Even if Whiting has developed a bird they feel okay in calling CDL it still does not hae the speckled and mottled patterns available in the true feathers.

 

Expensive yes but if you want to tie to the standards of original materials or simply are willing to pay for knowing you have the best of the best of the best on there you get the original.

 

 

OH yeah, I did get that from Men in Black.

[johnnyquahog 0]

Yeah,

Thanks for the information, Johnny. It is good to know that the chickens are tortured by plucking the feathers, rather than humanely killed and skinned.

Mike -just maybe it is retribution for waking the plucker up every morning at 4AM. Before these spade hackles were sold in fancy packs, I got some directly from the grower/plucker. I think he was a veterinarian and fly fisherman.

 

PS -you do know that these hybrid roosters with impeccable feathers spend their life cooped up in a cage else they would peck each other to a mess if not further.

[Dave G. 0]

I've always come away thinking the attribute really sought after with the coq de leon tailing feathers is the fact they are long and stiff with decent markings. I never associated the idea of the original and it's special glow or what ever it's supposed to have. But that all could be based off my limited interest and knowledge.

[vicrider 0]

Dave G, you are right in that being the marketing hype. Those from the original line of chicken in the Curueno Valley are supposed to have the magical sheen to them and it's lost when you take them to any other area to breed. Great marketing.

 

Adam, I've done a little checking and you're showing a couple of Whiting capes. If one were to go look at more feathers you'd see that Whiting has saddles that very much contain the mottled and barred looks of the original Coq de Leon. Why the dye the cape and call them CDL is a mystery since the whole "thing" behind the CDL is the natural coloring and hackle stiffness.

[Bimini15 0]

Just for giggles...

 

Original Coq de León from La Cándana:

 

 

Genetic Whiting Farms CDL:

 

 

Sorry, could not help myself.