Hackle, Need Help!

[Tightline]

This may be a dumb question and its probably very simple.I need to know how to make my hackle lay down more toward the hook end.The straight hackle like mine the white one seems to make them ride higher in the water.I want them more like the orange one that I bought.

I have finnally got all set up for this fly tying and I really enjoy it so far,but I haven't tied anything very difficult yet.Any help will be greatly appreciated.

TL.

[Danoinark]

Two things you might try tightlines. When you tied in the white hackle I would say it was tied with the dull side of the feather up or pointing to the eye. Try tying it in with the shiny side up instead. Secondly if you used softer hackle with the shiny side up it would probably naturally lay back like the orange version. Also stroking the fibers back as you palmer the hackle might help. The reason the white one is riding the surface is because you used the standard hackle wrap for dry flys. Its look very good and I am sure is a fish catcher..Dano

[fishinwrench]

What Dano said. Plus tie the hackle in by the tip of the feather, instead of by the base when doing woollys

Just pinch the tip with your fingers, stroke the fibers backwards with the fingers of your other hand (to stand them up) and tie in the tip of the feather....shiny side forward of course.

[jjtroutbum]

great looking fly just change the hackle like Dan said. and all will be good. Hen hackles also make buggers very buggy.

[Danoinark]

great looking fly just change the hackle like Dan said. and all will be good. Hen hackles also make buggers very buggy.

I like to tie buggers with hen too. Easy to work with and you are right Jon they come out more buggy and the fibers undulate more in the water. I think they are more effective.

What Dano said. Plus tie the hackle in by the tip of the feather, instead of by the base when doing woollys

Just pinch the tip with your fingers, stroke the fibers backwards with the fingers of your other hand (to stand them up) and tie in the tip of the feather....shiny side forward of course.

Very good points....

[Tightline]

Thanks guys,the hen hackle that I bought at BPS in olive and black has much smaller feathers than the white package,and you can probably tell that I had to trim the white hackle to get it down to the right size.I guess a guy should look at the package before he buys it.

I evidently have been tying them backwards with the butt of the feather tied in first,and I never even thought about a shiney side.

Its nice to have people around that know what they are doing.

Thanks again..............TL.