I am relatively new to tying flies. This was a great explanation of the techniques. My primary "take away" is the clipped will be a more "secure" tie. Thanks.
I’m just getting back into tying fly fishing after letting my career dictate my life. I am moving to the smokies where I hear the fly fishing is incredible and this video has helped me so much. Thanks for taking the time to make this.
Excellent presentation. I enjoyed the simple, straight forward way that you have displayed each method. I hope that you have additional videos to watch.
that wasn't boring at all. I stared at it from beginning to end. thanks for letting us know the style and technique of the different ways and that there's no wrong way but a preference and only keep your wraps fairly tight and consistent. I'll take this to the bench. thank you.
Ernie, thanks much for the visit. It's a dry presentation personaly, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was a demonstration that stuck with me so I felt sharing it might help others as well. For me it took much of the confusion out of hackle collars. Thanks again, Ralph
Great video. I like the fact you point out the quality of hackle. Myself, I like dull side of hackle facing back to minimize trapping hackles when tying off, but the main thing in my opinion is learning to not crowd the hook eye regardless of how one ties the hackle in.
Craig, thanks for the visit. The "clipped" method of preparing hackle at the tie-in point is to provide additional fibers stubs at the tie-in providing a more secure anchor, vs. a stripped quill.
@@craigphillips7258With dry fly hackle yes, for most part. Certain patterns do lend themselves better to tip tie-in as well as for reverse hackling. But mostly preference. Wet fly and soft-hackle however is a bit different. Very small flies a tip tie-in can be helpful. and when palmering a hackle I tie-in tip first for the tapering affect.
If I'm wanting a substantial hackle with many turns I often tie it in at the head and wind back towards the body, then wind the thread back through to the head. I believe this gives added security, at least I've never had one unwind. I don't use much genetic hackles, I think stocking up on all the colours and shades needed is, financially speaking, taking the whole thing a bit too seriously. At the price these feathers should more or less wind themselves, as indeed this video amply demonstrates.
Calling, down and back winding does work effectively, as-is tying multiple hackles when using the shorter Indian or Chinese necks. Preference of tying materials needed are up to the wants of the particular tyer and their financial situation. Over time most will eventually collect more types and colors. Most often, a good genetic head will last a lifetime of tying for the average tyer. My best and thanks for the visit.
Thanks Ralph,, that's why I probably tied comparaduns long before hackled drys. mainly cost and didn't know what brand to buy. I finally got a no name #2 grizzly at a "sports" shop that was closing down. my brother bought baseball cards, I got tying materials. I checked each cape just like I read to do. about a dozen, bending a hackle and touching the fibers to my lip. the guy told me he thought Fran Betters used that brand, even though there was no name on it. I bought it, used it for everything. I tie them in like you. we must have went to the same school. 😉. now you have to do a wet fly demo. it's not clear to me what you meant by winding back. thanks.
Thanks for the video.Your presentation is clear and concise. I have one question though, do you begin tying on the near side or the far side. Did each type always start on the near side.
Feathers all have a convex and concave side to them. The shiny side is the outer side (Convex). If you wrap with that side forward, the feather will naturally curve more toward the rear, like a wet fly is tied. and where all the weight of the hook resides. When wrapped dull side forward, the hackle fibers stand up in a fashion that better supports the front of the fly. using the natural stiffness of the feather against the weight of the hook.
You can in a pinch, but it depends just how much larger the feather is over. Trimming the hackle affects the natural flex of the hackle fibers. That flex is what contacts the surface tension of the water and they both "give" a little. those tensions help support the fly. When you trim the hackle fibers, the fibers get thicker and less flexible. Plus, if your hackle is a lot larger, the tail must remain larger as well to remain proportionate. If not, your fly will tend to tip over on its face. I would not bother trimming if you are only tying with one size larger, just leave it a bit larger. I would opt for another style dry fly using CDC otherwise, or tie a parachute style where a larger hackle works much better than a standard hackle collar. Hope that helps.
Great video. Thanks for not being "one of those guys" who say to tie a fly correctly you do it this way, if you don't, your tying it wrong. And again great video, thank you.
I appreciate the kind words. If I had only kept to classic recipes and styles, I would have left the bench long ago. I do honor the classics and enjoy them too. But there are few right-and-wrongs.
I tie only wet flies and I didn't see any mention of whether you wrap the feather on edge, fibers straight up and down, or flat, with fibers pointing to the eye and the hook end. Thanks Rick Tucson
Thanks Ralph,, that's why I probably tied comparaduns long before hackled drys. mainly cost and didn't know what brand to buy. I finally got a no name #2 grizzly at a "sports" shop that was closing down. my brother bought baseball cards, I got tying materials. I checked each cape just like I read to do. about a dozen, bending a hackle and touching the fibers to my lip. the guy told me he thought Fran Betters used that brand, even though there was no name on it. I bought it, used it for everything. I tie them in like you. we must have went to the same school. 😉. now you have to do a wet fly demo. it's not clear to me what you meant by winding back. thanks.
