Tying soft hackle flies is kicking my butt...

[Jim White]

...humbly seeking instruction at next week's beer tie.

I'll bring along my vise, bobbin, thread, hooks, dubbing and a partridge neck (anything else?).

Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

Many thanks,

Jim

[namfos]

No need to limit yourself to partridge neck. Pheasant, peahen, quail, starling and even chicken (hen) feathers will do the trick with soft hackles. Bring hackle pliers. Have any floss? 

Dave Hughes' book Wet Flies is a good resource for wets, flymphs, soft hackles with tying instructions. There's also books by Sylvester Nemes. Online check out http://globalflyfisher.com/

I'll be there on Monday so tap me on the shoulder and I'll be happy to help. Turbine Blade will probably chine in on this as well.

Mark

[namfos]

Here's some additional resources from the Interwebs: 

http://www.williamsfavorite.com/

https://donbastianwetflies.com/tag/vernon-s-pete-hidy/

http://www.ngatu692.com/Vernon_Hidy.pdf

[Jim White]

Mark,

Many thanks for the offer, I will see you Monday with gear in tow.

I've read many resources and watched a lot of YouTube on the subject. For some reason I just can't get my fingers to manage the actual tying aspects. I think a few minutes of hands on instruction will have me soft hackle tying with the best of them.

Cheers,

Jim

[TurbineBlade]

Mark pretty well covered it.  There are 2..or actually 3 ways of tying them and they all work.  You can tie by the tip and wrap using the stem as a 'handle' like this  --

https://vimeo.com/29630395

The disadvantage of this method is it tends to result in "pulling out" more than the others.  

The other methods both include tying the feather to the hook by its stem.  You can either tie it by the stem up at the eye of the hook and wrap backwards to your awaiting thread, or you can tie it by the stem as you move toward the eye and then just grasp the feather tip and wrap forward like you would for the first (tip) method in the video ^^.  

They all work fine and it's really just personal preference.  

It sounds like you probably 'get' how to do it, but just need some practice with it.  If you tend to crowd you hook eyes like most of us do, you may get problems when winding the hackle over 'lumps', which will throw your soft hackle collar out of whack, or maybe result in uneven coverage around the collar.  I did that for a long time and still mess it up once in a while.  

You can also tie them using some alternative methods, some of which allow you to use bigger feathers on smaller hooks.  Craven posts his method here --

http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/print.cfm?parentID=155

I prefer the youtube one though where you tie in a bundle and then use a loose wrap to splay the feathers around the hook, sort of like spinning hair.  Youtube "soft hackle larger feather" - Walter Wiese - and you'll get it.  

Gene

[TurbineBlade]

Meant to add that the Hughes book (and many websites, possibly other books) talk about how tying by the stem and then winding the thread through the hackle to the hook eye results in a more durable fly than the other method.  

I can honestly say after tying hundreds soft hackles and fishing them very regularly that this seldom happens.  Sure, it makes sense that it could be true, and by all means try it both ways.  If one fails, it's usually the body that starts to unravel (and not the hackle collar).  Crimping barbs virtually eliminates this.  Actually, fishing barbless flies really helps with fly durability with everything.  

I was only adding that in case anyone prefers tip tying but was worried about their soft hackles falling apart.  

Gene

[namfos]

Jim:

Try some of these as hackle pliers

Mark

On Friday, July 8, 2016 at 8:15:39 AM UTC-4, Jim White wrote:

[Jim White]

Mark,

Good looking hackle plier there, I'll search it out.

Following your most excellent tutelage I've been tying soft hackle flies with abandon. Purchased and read Nemes' book (The Soft Hackled Fly - a nice quick read) and ordered a starling skin for a little variety (from the partridge skin I'm currently working through).

Now to get out and fish a few of these beauties. Perhaps they'll be winners for me at the upcoming TPFR Bluegill Tournament.

Thanks for your valuable assistance and the lead on a great looking hackle plier.

Cheers,

Jim

On Friday, July 8, 2016 at 8:15:39 AM UTC-4, Jim White wrote:

[namfos]

Try a hobby shop or maybe a big box like Lowes or HD - Radio Shacks are gone, and maybe if you know of an electrical supply place.

Mark