Soft Hackle

[Phil Lilley]

Soft Hackle

Jeremy Hunt

Recipe:

Hook: 3761 TMC size 16-22

Thread: UTC 70 color to match body

Body: Thread

Thorax: sow-scud dubbing

Collar: Hungarian Partridge

Rib: UTC wire (BR)

Tying Instructions

Secure the thread on the hook shank. Tie in at the front. Only do enough turns to get the thread started. Get a piece of wire and tie it in at the front too. You want the wire down the whole shank. One to keep the body the same shape and to also secure the wire in solid.

If you hold the wire at a angle as you wind back, because of the way you’re holding the wire and winding back it will slide down the wraps butting each wrap by side. This is important when you only have a thread base for the body of the fly. By using a floss thread you will definitely like the way the body looks verses uni-thread wind to the bend.

Advance the thread forward still making each wrap next to the next wrap. This will build the thread wraps making the body smooth.

Wind the wire forward what I like to do on the first turn. Try not to pull hard because this will shift the wire down that is tied in making the body uneven at the back. Once you do the first turn around then you can apply more power on the rest of the turns. I like to do the turns even when I space them to create the segments on the body. I’m tying on a size 18 and I have six wraps of wire. That will give you a idea on my spacing. Once you tie the wire in then heat the wire from moving it back and forth and it will break and will not leave a tag of wire.

This step is kind of tricky. You only want to use a little dubbing. Just enough to make one turn around for the collar.

Select a partridge hackle. Make sure you’re picking one from the very front section of the bird. Down by the face of the bird. You will need a whole bird to get the best selection of feathers. If you go the cheap route by loose feathers then your flies will not turn out to good on smaller sizes. The hackles are all too long. Good for size 10 and 12's. What you want to do is grab the tip of the feather with one hand and with the other hand pull back split the barbs evenly on each side and with the tip section you are going to tie in the middle where you split the barbs. Now if you tied the feather in right the tip side should be facing in front of the eye. One thing before you go on is you only want the barbs for the collar and not the shaft stuff on the very bottom of the stem. Pull that off.

With your thumb nail push back on the tip creating it to force up so you can get a close cut on it. Cut it off close. Now do about two more turns securing the tip down for the feather to be palmered around.

This part will definitely give you practice on your hand coordination. You cannot give this too much tension or you will break the feather or pull it out when you go to wind it around.

Make you’re first slow with not a lot of tension when you go around on the first turn. Try not to twist the step around when you go around. You want the hackle laying in the back direction. To make the collar look palmered, you need to work on this part and get used to working with small feathers. You’ll get it in time. Once you tied all the hackle in. Tie the stem in and cut it off.

Whip finish the fly and gloss coat the head.

Soft Hackle

[loo10]

Soft Hackle

Jeremy,

Beautiful fly.

loo10

[Jeremy Hunt]

Thank you loo10. I am glad you like it. This pattern would have to be one of my "go to" fly patterns. I can always count on this fly in hard times. Not only that , but it as bailed me out on many days that I thought I was going to get skunked on the river. and even the new one that I have gone to.

[Danoinark]

Jeremy

I probably catch more fish on a soft hackle than anything else, as a matter of fact I will fish Taney and only use a soft hackle the entire day.

Of course my problem is tying the partridge on a size 18 or less. Are you going to cover this fly in any of your tying sessions? Or would you have time to do your hackle technique after a class sometime? I have seen several ways and mine needs an overhaul. I may not be picking my hackles good enough, either that or its my fumble fingers.

Dano

[Greg]

A soft hackle is one I have difficulty tying. I can't ever get the hackle portion to look right. Beautiful fly. Very well done.

Greg

[Jeremy Hunt]

I would love to show anybody how to tie this fly. If anybody comes to class I can show you how to do this after the class is done. I have tie probably 10,000 of these over the years of tying. Once you get the hang of it, it's easy. I also know that if you are buying those loose feathers they sell in a package, you are not getting the right feathers. The only way to get the right feathers is buying a grade 1 hungarian partridge bird. They retail for about 20 dollars. The ones that you want to select are the ones closer to the face. I hope this kind of helps you. Good luck

[Danoinark]

The only way to get the right feathers is buying a grade 1 hungarian partridge bird.

And of course that is exactly what I have been using the loose stuff. I do have a juvenile hen cape from Conranch that ties up some nice soft hackles though. It's more of a furnace color though. I will check the class out asap to have you show me some techniques then. Thanks

[Simsmarine]

I guess I need lessons on fishing the SH, the only way I ever got bit on them was adding splitshot to the leader and fishing it like a nymph and Bennett. Is that the way y'all fish it, or are you fishing it unweighted in the top of the water column ?

On the swing?

Or what ?

Thanks, G.

[Brian K. Shaffer]

Sims -

It is a midge emerger type of pattern, so it literally can be fished in all of the water columns.. but it is most effectively fished in the film or upper 3 layers of the surface.

I like to swing the soft hackle most of all.. making a cast at a 45 degree angle downstream and just let her rip! You have to make sure the fly is sunk.. too much hackle at the head and the fly wants to ride to high and create a wake while swinging.. thats bad. You can dunk your tip in the water and strip the fly to get it to sink.

You want it to ride about 1/2 inch below the surface.. no wake.. its easy to get this technique by greasing the leader to about 6 inches from the fly.

Sometimes the trout come up to it - hit it / miss it - hit is again / miss it... its like watching a shark attack!

Ahh.. soft hackle fishing is great fun. (though they are a pain to tie)

best fishes - Brian

[Simsmarine]

Yeah sounds like fun ! I've tried exactly that several times during different conditions, without success. I guess I'll have to just stick with it awhile until I get bit a few times and gain some confidence.

Ahh.. soft hackle fishing is great fun. (though they are a pain to tie)

Heck, I think they are a breeze to tie. Body/rib/collar/wet-hackle, right? Is there a technical step that makes a better than average SH ?

I use the "V" method of tying in the soft hackle on little ones, whereby you cut the tip of the stem from a Partridge feather (or whatever soft body feather you want), lay the resultant "V" of fibers under the hook eye at an upward angle, pinch, and wrap loosly at first, twist the fibers equally around the hook, pull the feather stem butt to get the length you want, then tighten up, cut the feather away and form the head. Looks good, and you can control the length of the fibers for consistency. With this method though you must have a collar of fur or herl to help splay the fibers against.

I think I tie a dandy SH, just can't fish them worth a hoot... But I'm gonna work on that.

What sizes do you like ? and what hook do you use?

Thanks, G.