Did the best I could to move this topic. This is a cut and paste from the Soft Hackle Discussion:
SherpaB
Trade Count: (0)
Hatchery Fingerling
*
Posts: 42
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
type of feather for tiny soft hackles
on: February 03, 2007, 04:06:38 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
I was looking around for some type of tiny soft hackle feather...I want to tie some 18-20 softies for the BWO hatches...I looked at Blue Ribbon Flies website and they have a bunch of bird skins I am not familiar with..maybe someone here knows of something I could use to wrap the tiny ones...
Report to moderator 70.22.212.99 (?)
AaronJasper
TPO Founders
Trade Count: (0)
Alaskan Bow
*****
Posts: 531
View Profile WWW Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #1 on: February 03, 2007, 07:12:11 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
you can use a regular hen saddle. Whiting makes really nice hen saddles. they arent too hard on the wallet either. i think they are fifteen bucks. you can also try starling. i purchased some lately it looks really good. i usually just use a hen saddle for tying any soft hackle that i make.
Report to moderator 68.196.124.42 (?)
We're going to get them good.... right!?
CM_Stewart
Trade Count: (0)
Hatchery Fingerling
*
Posts: 7
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #2 on: February 04, 2007, 12:22:29 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
I'll second the recommendation on starling. Lots of very small hackles. Blue Ribbon Flies has them (and the Pearsall's silk thread to make your soft hackles official Wink).
Report to moderator 69.200.92.39 (?)
AaronJasper
TPO Founders
Trade Count: (0)
Alaskan Bow
*****
Posts: 531
View Profile WWW Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #3 on: February 04, 2007, 03:40:25 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
i am GOING to use soft hackle this year. i really like the look of the starling. the irradescent feathers looks so awesome. i hope that they fish as well as they look.
Report to moderator 68.196.124.42 (?)
We're going to get them good.... right!?
SherpaB
Trade Count: (0)
Hatchery Fingerling
*
Posts: 42
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #4 on: February 04, 2007, 07:09:35 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
Sounds like a plan...my bro just got a Hungarian Partrige skin from Blue Ribbon, Awesome coloration and quality...I love going to their shop in West, they are really nice people, very helpfull and some wacky flies...BTW the best caddis emerger/dry imitation I ever used is their Iris Caddis. If the fish are on top its an awfully good fly. I tie them by the dozens and expect to tie more for friends and frustrated anglers I come across onstream...
Report to moderator 70.22.212.99 (?)
rckrego
TPO Faithful
Trade Count: (0)
Stocked Rainbow
*****
Posts: 139
If it swims, I want to catch it on a fly.
rckrego rckrego
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #5 on: March 17, 2007, 06:13:04 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
cold spring anglers in carlisle has a nice olive baetis wet with starling.
http://www.coldspringanglers.com/onl..._baetis_lt.gif
Report to moderator 24.149.218.150 (?)
Here fishy fishy fishy!
alanb_ct
Guest
Trade Count: (0)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #6 on: March 17, 2007, 08:28:48 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
Maybe you've already covered this, but the March 2007 issue of Fly Fisherman has an article entitled "The Unsung Starling," with 9 different patterns and recipes. It seems like an awesome, inexpensive material. A typical starling cape has lots of soft hackles in size 18-22.
The starling is not native to the U.S. 40 pairs of birds were released in Central Park in 1890.
Report to moderator 71.234.36.102 (?)
SloNDeep
TPO Faithful
Trade Count: (0)
Big Brown
*****
Posts: 243
formerly: The Predator
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #7 on: March 17, 2007, 08:46:42 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
Quote from: SherpaB on February 04, 2007, 07:09:35 PM
Sounds like a plan...my bro just got a Hungarian Partrige skin from Blue Ribbon, Awesome coloration and quality...I love going to their shop in West, they are really nice people, very helpfull and some wacky flies...BTW the best caddis emerger/dry imitation I ever used is their Iris Caddis. If the fish are on top its an awfully good fly. I tie them by the dozens and expect to tie more for friends and frustrated anglers I come across onstream...
Sherpa, I feel like I've been reintroduced to a long lost friend.
I had a few of the Iris caddis from a shop I was guiding at a few years back and really liked them. Well, they ran out, I ran out, i never tied any more, and havent had them in a while. I guess I forgot about them.
Umpqua always supplied them on a fine wire, odd size, black hook. Do you tie these on std dry fly hooks?
I remember one night in particular, fishing the corner pool on the Hous, when a few guys walked away saying "there's nothing goin on here" and I could see a bunch of fish sipping in the back/middle of the pool. It was a bit choppy with a few long wrinkle seams and the fish were just pickin off bugs in the wrinkles.
I took two very nice fish back to back with an Iris Caddis.
Report to moderator 151.203.152.50 (?)
If the line ain't tight, ya ain't doin it right
SherpaB
Trade Count: (0)
Hatchery Fingerling
*
Posts: 42
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #8 on: March 20, 2007, 02:52:58 PM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
I have some of the black hooks tiemco 102Y i think is the model. not necessary but they are a nice wide gap dryfly hook. I usually dont bother digging them out and tie on standard dry fly hooks...I have had killer days with this fly.
Report to moderator 71.243.34.66 (?)
rckrego
TPO Faithful
Trade Count: (0)
Stocked Rainbow
*****
Posts: 139
If it swims, I want to catch it on a fly.
rckrego rckrego
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #9 on: April 03, 2007, 08:48:57 AM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
I broke out my only partridge and green on saturday and got a lot of action. It was a size 14. The trout particularly went after it when I was stripping the fly back in. Great action. Promptly lost the fly after a few fish, and was out of them. Too bad. But, I suggest giving them a shot. Actually got the fish moving around.
Report to moderator 12.33.141.36 (?)
Here fishy fishy fishy!
Delarock
Trade Count: (0)
Little Brookie
**
Posts: 55
NetDevilX
View Profile Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #10 on: April 03, 2007, 09:40:53 AM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
I was thinking about tying a couple in some off colors. My new love is Peacock Ice Dub. I never really liked tying herl, could never get the volume I liked and the second I tried tying in more then two, I'd get snapped all over. Couldn't find a way to spin it with my Nor-Vise, you need to learn how to tie a fly backwards with certain patterns. Going to do a bunch of PT soft hackles with the ice dub.
I've tied a few yellow w/brown rib & partridge soft hackles, next is orange (not silk, but i wish I had it!) partridge.
I also like doing hare's fur soft hackles with a bead behind the hackle.
I can't find undyed starling, saw a package of it once and should have picked it up.
Report to moderator 206.231.227.3 (?)
AaronJasper
TPO Founders
Trade Count: (0)
Alaskan Bow
*****
Posts: 531
View Profile WWW Email Personal Message (Offline)
Re: type of feather for tiny soft hackles
Reply #11 on: April 03, 2007, 09:45:52 AM
Reply with quoteQuote Modify messageModify Remove messageRemove Split TopicSplit Topic
delarock.... i have been using the peacock ice dub for my cased caddis. it has been working great. ice dub also works reallly well when you blend it in the right color to match the dubbing that you are making the nymph with.
Report to moderator 204.8.198.14 (?)
We're going to get them good.... right!?
