Greenwell'ses

[Kelly L.]

Izaak, these are very impressive. You are making me feel like tackling my spiders again. I must finish a bunch of flies for the elusive Blue River trip first though, or at least make many more. The Greenwell is one of my very favorite spiders. I absolutely adore what you did with this pattern, and the eye catching photography is a big plus. You don't need the fruit, to entice us. Your work speaks for itself. I LOVE THESE. There, I said it.

[letumgo]

For me, the dark list at the center of the hackle and the honey colored tips just "makes" this fly.

As I studied the picture, one of the things that struck me was the apparent stiffness of the hackle. The fronts of the flies all seem to be suspended off the surface they are resting on. I imagine these would fish especially nice in the current of a tumbling brook.

Immaculate dressings, as I have grown to expect. Nice job Tom.

[Izaak]

What brand/size of wire are you using?

I wish I could tell you. Got the spool a long time ago and there is no ID. As you can see the size is quite small. Maybe the smallest I have seen sold in fly shops. It must also be coated with some protectant as it has never tarnished at all. It is a very bright shiny gold.

[Mataura mayfly]

What brand/size of wire are you using?

I wish I could tell you. Got the spool a long time ago and there is no ID. As you can see the size is quite small. Maybe the smallest I have seen sold in fly shops. It must also be coated with some protectant as it has never tarnished at all. It is a very bright shiny gold.

Thanks Tom. It was the size and brightness that made me ask. . I shall have to do a search through the wire "area" of my tying material stack to see if I have any similar.

[Izaak]

As I studied the picture, one of the things that struck me was the apparent stiffness of the hackle. The fronts of the flies all seem to be suspended off the surface they are resting on. I imagine these would fish especially nice in the current of a tumbling.

Ray, It's called over hackling!

Tom

[letumgo]

Tom - I do not get the impression they are over hackled. Quite the contrary. The proportions are very well done.

Open discussions item - I have a number of hen sets and some of them are stiffer than others. I wonder if some of the modern genetic hen hackle is closer to some of the older cock hackle. Do you, or other members, have an opinion on this?

[crazy4oldcars]

Tom, these flies had me going over to Feather Emporium to have a look-see. Especially after seeing the capes in the other thread.
I've been to that site before, and every time I go I see 2 or 3 more skins I want. I try not to go there too often.

Ray, I have no personal experience with the older hackles, but I have heard it from different sources that the new hen hackle is comparable to what was available in rooster hackle. A question of my own....How do the modern India and Chinese capes compare to genetic hen?
(My understanding is that the India and Chinese capes are .... basically just barnyard birds with no real attempts at genetic selection.)

Kirk

[letumgo]

Kirk - I've used a wide range of different hen hackles (genetic strains like Hoffman and Collin's, India hen, and some Chinese necks). Of the ones I own and have tyed with, the genetic seem to have a range in stiffness's. Some necks are quite webby and soft, while others have little to no webbing and are stiffer (not quite like dry fly hackle, but noticably stiff). I love the Collin's necks, because they are a bit webbier than the Hoffman necks. The India hen necks are soft, but not as quite as soft as game birds (partridge, grouse, plover, waterhen, starling, etc.). India hen is great stuff and an inexpensive alternate to the more expensive hackle options.

Sorry Tom, I didn't mean to hijack your post.