Hackle?

[Boris]

Christmas is coming up & the kids have been asking me what I'd like. I srug my shoulders not knowing what to recommend, they tell me I'm not trying hard enough and they need help with this otherwise I'll end up with more bottles of various liquids or god forbid new underwear!
The underwear threat motivated me to get thinking. I've noticed many of the flies here have either patrridge or "hen" hackle. I've got a partridge skin and various cock capes & saddles which I use for dry flies.

My questions are as follows; what is the difference between cock & hen hackles? Also if I do require hen for soft hackles what colours are the most useful?

[Mataura mayfly]

Boris, what a bloody fantastic idea...... and why have I not yet thought of it!

Do not just limit yourself to hen capes, you NEED every conceivable pair of wings you can think of from most gamebirds and waterfowl.... oh and the pelt of each while we are at it.

Cock hacles are long, thin (think Aboriginal spear) stiff barbed hackles from neck or saddle and mainly used for dry flies so the barbs stiffness helps hold the fly above the film of the waters surface. Hen hackles are usually shorter, kind of short fat and dumpy or "spade" (more shovel though)shaped rather than long thin "spear" shaped and somewhat softer and flumier in the barbs.
If I was any good I could give a photo reference of the two, but I am sure someone will.

Medium dun, black and mottled brown would be good places to start. The good news is hen hackle capes are usually a lot cheaper (here anyhow) than cock capes, but can be harder to find as there are less of us demanding/ using them compared to dry fly tiers.
Indian cock capes open up some possibilities for you as some of them can be very hen like, especially the longer feathers and side feathers.

Start searching the internet for suppliers and email those lovely daughters of yours the links to the products you desire.

[Boris]

Thanks for the reply Jeff.

They are a pretty good bunch and I'm happy to say I'd choose them as friends anytime, underwear threats notwithstanding!

Should a hen hackle be from the saddle or cape? Also are the graded by size or is it pot luck and typically a hen hackle have greater size variation?

Can anyone post a link to where I should be looking for the right size. I usually fish size #10 to #18 flies so perhaps that will narrow it down a bit.

[DUBBN]

I am a hen hackle fanatic. It is by far my favorite hackle to tie Flymphs with. I would guess that 90% of the flies I fish with have hen hackle in them. Of those flies, I bet 90% are tyed with Brown Hen hackle. It is just my color of choice as you can tell by this picture. These hackles are Whitings and they run about 22.00 U.S


I have since added some India Hen capes...They run about 5 dollars U.S



Heres a link for hackle...I dont deal with him, but he has a good reputation from members on this board.

http://www.jimsflyco.com/

[Mataura mayfly]

Hen hackles are usually neck capes, they do not really have the saddle of a rooster. That is not to say there are some other interesting feathers on your average barnyard dweller, but if you buy hen hackle capes are what your going to get....... or want.

Sizes are just like cock capes of old, finer smaller feathers from high up the neck nearer the head progressing to larger/longer feathers toward the shoulder of the bird. There are plenty of tricks for using bigger feathers on smaller hooks and you can use the larger feathers on larger hooks for practice ties until you get confident enough to tie with the smaller feathers on hooks you will use for fishing.
I will take some photos later to show you what I am talking about.

Can that, Wayne just did an excellent job for me!

[Boris]

Ok, I'm getting the picture, great replies and good pictures Wayne.

I think I'll suggest a few hen capes.

Do they do a badger or furnace? I really like those colours.... catch the fisherman indeed!

Thnaks fellas.

[Mataura mayfly]

Buddy, you can get 'em in pretty much any colour you can think of or they have made a dye for! From shocking pink to black....... I am sure the girls will be quite taken by the pink.

[hankaye]

Boris, Howdy;

Jim is the sponser of the forum and is very helpful when ordering.
Check here;

http://www.JimsFlyCo.com

He, just today, posted his Christmas Sale 20% off.
Mentions this;
"Just use this code JFCHS when checking out to receive your 20% off discount"

[JohnP]

I like the Brahma hen hackles that Jim has. Brown and olive are my two most-used colors. I also have been using Indian hen backs, they are cheap, plentiful and have very soft fibers. I also have Hungarian partridge, two juvenile hen capes from Conranch, in dark dun and brown, woodcock and grouse wings, a starling, a variety of rarer hackles courtesy of generous members here and on another forum, plus a full skin from both a cock pheasant and a hen pheasant. I have used all of those to tie soft hackles. That should give you a good start for this year's Christmas list (and birthday, next year's Christmas, Father's Day, etc.) ...

[Boris]

I've been having a quick look around at the links mentioned and others. One more question, what's the difference between "brahma" and "cree", or what do they each denote?

Pheasnt skin eh?...Hmmmm..