Partridge Hackle

[Ruard]

Hi Boris,

I tried several ways to tie a hackle but now I stay to tie them in by the top, the way David westwood shows on my side, it is the second article of David and you can find it on spiders.

Greeting

[Boris]

Thanks Ruard, I'll check it out.

Jeff, I used feathers from a skin I have and although it's about 15 years old it's in very good condition as far as I can tell. I'll try out those instructions posted here and see how I go. I'll post a few photos later in the week.

[Mataura mayfly]

In that case it might just be the tension or angle of the hackle pliers leading to stem breakage? Try to keep your pliers inline with the feather stem as you wrap around the shank, bending the stem where the jaws meet fine feather stems under tension is a sure recipe for disaster . Also try to support the weight of the pliers more than purposeful wrapping with your finger in the ring of the pliers. Kind of enough tension to get nice wraps, but not too much. Hard to explain by typing, but after a few you should get the hang of it. I had a lot of similar woes when going from rooster hackle to game feathers.
Pinching each wrap as it is formed with thumb and finger of your "off" hand can help as well.

[Ruard]

I think the best way to grip a hackle is with your fingers and do not use a hackle plier at all.
If the feather is to small let the vice turn (if possible) and keep the feather in your fingers on top.

If you half the hackle then you can stroke the fibers to the bend of the hook, after each turn of the vice.

Greeting

[Boris]

Ok Jeff, here's last night's effort. I tied the hackle in using Lance's diagram as a guide. I found it much easier for a fly this size - #10. When I tied the samller feathers for smaller flies the feathers were breaking easily where the hackle pliers had hold of the feather tip so I found it easier to tie in at the tip them... still had a few break off but not as often.





Thanks for the help too, much appreciated.

[CreationBear]

Nice looking fly!

Just to muddy the waters a bit more, here's a method that obviates the need to deal with brittle stems in the first place:

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox ... rentID=155

Another trick you might think about when tying in "butt-first" with the feather out over the eye is to flatten the thick part of the stem before tying it on the shank (I just trap the stem against the surface of my tying desk and run my thumbnail up and down the rachis). The flat stem makes for tidier wraps, and may be a bit more pliable so you don't have to be quite so burly with the hackle pliers.

[Mataura mayfly]

Boris..... and your problem is?

That is a fine looking fishing fly. Sure a purist might quibble over your underwraps of thread visible at the back-end- just call it a tag- or the start point of the abdomen being directly above the barb. But fiddle sticks I say to them.
This is a fine fishing fly and in the end of it all this is what we are tying, flies to catch fish! There is nothing outlandishly wrong with this example, you will experiment and develop this and more patterns and do so to your liking, as you are tying for your fishing purposes- let the trout decide.

I meant to say stick with #10-12 hooks for a start until you get the hang of it. Saves breaking all your wee feathers and ending up with a lot of big ones left when you want to tie #18's. You might like to try some of that pattern with a single wrap of hackle, be a nice sedge/caddis impersonator. Or tie the hackle (a real short one) in between the jelly body and the peacock herl, so you have kind of a peeking tube caddis.
Keep going and keep having fun....... your doing well. Nice photo stand as well.

[Boris]

Thanks CB & Jeff.

This one is much better than the ones I tied last time before you all kindly advised me. The hackle barbs seem to be reasonably evenly distributed around the thorax.

I was intending the thread to be a 'tag' and I thought lining it up with the barb was the right thing to do. I actually got the idea from Rays beautiful nymph that I commented on.

[Old Hat]

I am a tip to stem convert. In my uncivilized life I tied in by the stem and mutilated many hackles. Now I know better. Each year make it my mission to recruit while at the shows.

I need to make a video of my testimony. It has been on the burner way too long.

Actually all the methods work...tying in by the stem over the eye is just better.

[Mataura mayfly]

Thanks CB & Jeff.


I was intending the thread to be a 'tag' and I thought lining it up with the barb was the right thing to do. I actually got the idea from Rays beautiful nymph that I commented on.

See.... I knew I would make an ass of myself if I assumed! In that case I am having trouble to find fault mate....... but the thread head is a bit long , (just kidding) fine example Boris.