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Rusty Shackleford

Dry Fly Hackle?

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I am looking for some dry fly hackle in Grizzly and Coachman brown to tie things like stimulators, elk hair caddis, and possibly some parachutes in the future in sizes 12-16, possibly 10 and 18 also but not nearly as common. What would be a decent somewhat inexpensive option? I looked into India rooster capes but I read they are not very ideal for dries.  

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If you only needed size 12-16, you could save money and buy saddles centered on size 14. It will have some some size 12 and 16 hackles

When you add size 10 and 18, you will need to buy a neck.

The cheapest is to buy the Prograde of Whiting or Whiting Hebert Miner brands.

It is best to actually see and "grade" the hackle before buying so you know what you are getting as to quality and sizing. If you can't see the hackle "in person", you may not get the best available for the price at the shop you are buying from.

The place with the greatest selection is Jims Fly Company where I buy my hackle.

https://jimsflyco.com/Default.aspx

 

There are other brands like Clearwater, Keough, Root River, Collins, Metz, etc but Whiting is what I suggest. It is the clear winner in the Hackle Throwdown Comparison..

http://www.flyfishfood.com/2014/09/hackle-comparisons.html

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Collins hackle! They aren't as well known as some of the other brands, but they produce some of the highest quality hackle for their prices. Plus, when you buy a cape, you get the matching saddle for free. I have a coachman brown pair, and have been nothing but pleased. For $35, you really can't beat it, although you won't get nearly as many smaller feather (<16) as you would with say a Whiting bronze grade.

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I’d go with a Collins commercial grade cape in both colors.  If you’re just starting these will get you well on your way. 
You should consider a dun cape as well. Could probably get all 3 for what a Whiting bronze would cost you or pretty close to it.

i own a good number of dry fly capes and I’m happy with both the Whiting and the Collins products as they both fill a need.

Picture is a fly tied with Collins hackle.  

 

 

 

C7879ADF-7DF7-4720-992F-DE0D03A0107D.jpeg

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Disclaimer: I trout fish but typically only when something else isn't biting. When I do trout fish I'm fishing nymphs 95% of the time. 

I've been tying dry flies off of the whiting intro pack for years and I'd say a have many years left of dries on them still. I also have purchased a few 100 packs for the small stuff. Perhaps not the best way to do it if your a prolific tier but if your simply tying flies that you actually fish an intro pack is a great start and will last many many years.

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12 hours ago, Moshup said:

@Current Angler 👍

 

ps.  Hoping to see you holding up something a little larger this year !

Haha, just a good picture. Probably the smallest striper I’ve caught, but the difference between my smallest and my largest still isn’t much 😉

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For my personal needs, I rarely use hackle at all.  Most of my mayfly patterns are comparaduns, and all my caddis dries are without hackle.  When I have to use hackle, I always use saddles.

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3 minutes ago, utyer said:

For my personal needs, I rarely use hackle at all.  Most of my mayfly patterns are comparaduns, and all my caddis dries are without hackle.  When I have to use hackle, I always use saddles.

Thanks, I ended up getting a Collin's grade 3 cape + saddle in a couple common colors, should let me do most of the things I want to do for now. I still have not attempted a sparkle/comparadun yet but it's on my list lol

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There's a few dry fly patterns that do not call for any hackle at all.  Check out a pattern called The Rackelhanen.  An excellent caddisfly imitation.

Kim

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9 hours ago, WWKimba said:

There's a few dry fly patterns that do not call for any hackle at all.  Check out a pattern called The Rackelhanen.  An excellent caddisfly imitation.

Kim

I will, thank you :)

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On 4/3/2021 at 7:26 PM, Current Angler said:

Collins hackle! They aren't as well known as some of the other brands, but they produce some of the highest quality hackle for their prices. Plus, when you buy a cape, you get the matching saddle for free. I have a coachman brown pair, and have been nothing but pleased. For $35, you really can't beat it, although you won't get nearly as many smaller feather (<16) as you would with say a Whiting bronze grade.

Collins is kind of hard to find but he generally shows up at the shows and is for sale at both Trout Town Flies in Roscoe NY or Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone.   I have 4 of his necks and they are absolutely terrific...his hackles tie better than whiting they wrap better with NO TWIST ever and thinner stems...they don't have as many barbs of hackle per inch or as many feathers per cape but for the price its probably fairly equivalent on a per fly basis as whiting Bronze...the colors are all natural and beautiful and they tie better than whiting IMO

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go to the Collins web site,  look over whats offered,  then call Charlie,  tell him what you need, write down the amount,  what the order is, and mail him a check with a nicely written list of what he said he had for you that you wanted.   There is no need to try to find him at shows,  which as I understand he does not like doing anyway.  if you call him and he has what you want in the size you want,  he will tell you.  if he doesn't catching him at a show isn't going to make the size and color you want suddenly appear.  His site also lists the dealers that carry his hackle.

 

http://www.collinshacklefarm.com/

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