Green Hen SBS

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2c94c00b.jpg

A Crackleback softhackle. Change colors to suit your needs.

hook - Mustad 3399A #12
thread - MFC 8/0 brown
rib - x-small wire gold
abdomen - Uni-stretch chartreuse
back/tohrax - peacock herl
hackle - hen brown

Part 1


Mash down barb, start thread one hook eye width back

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psa644bd1e.jpg


prep hackle and tie in

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psdd292bc8.jpg


tie in rib and Uni-stretch; wrap back to bend

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psadefc044.jpg


tie in some peacock

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6464f093.jpg


wrap abdomen to 2/3 mark; tie off and trim

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7ef8d4d0.jpg


pull peacock over the back ; tie down but don't trim

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psbb64eb8b.jpg


counterwrap rib; tie off and helicopter end

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1b1176f9.jpg

Part 2

twist peacock around thread and wrap thorax

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...pse9e15b7d.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4c4c0e9c.jpg


wrap hackle, tie off, trim, half hitch x 2, SHHAN

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2c94c00b.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps842d7fe9.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...pse66367d1.jpg


Regards,
Scott

I like your technique of tying in your hen feather first. I do the same.

Can't remember if I picked that up from Hans or Dave Hughes "Wet Flies", but it does make for a smaller, neater head.

Regards,
Scott

Sweet! Thanks for sharing.

Flattery Is... Tried It with floss and a 3399. The extra weight may sink It just a bit faster. Hackle Is way over done. Next few will be more sparse. It usually takes me a couple dozen to figure out the nuances. Very nice pattern. Apologies for lousy iPhone photo. Thanks for the great SBS. Yellow background has a better image. Shows more flaws ;-)

Like it! I mostly fish my cracklebacks wet anyway. Definitely going to give this one a try. Thanks for the excellent SBS as usual.

Royal Cackle Softhackle variation

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps95acf4f1.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6cf2f1a6.jpg


Regards,
Scott

Ooooooooooh, purdy flies. :)
Scott, I really like both of those flies. Do you think that the first version might be more durable if you had a single turn of Uni-stretch behind the crackleback stripe of peacock herl to protect it?

Thanks for posting those flies.

Ed

I really like the looks of that bug. I'll have to tie some.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ed_D

Do you think that the first version might be more durable if you had a single turn of Uni-stretch behind the crackleback stripe of peacock herl to protect it?

---

Ed,

Sounds like a good idea.

Regards,
Scott

I keep coming back to this thread and looking. Gonna have to tie some of these up! (
Chartreuse, pink, orange, red..... Yep. Gonna do it. Thanks a bunch! The "royal" version with wire should be fantastic!

Great pattern, I want to try one using the wire as the tying thread for the body and then switch to thread for the thorax and hackle.

Alberto

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alberto

I want to try one using the wire as the tying thread for the body and then switch to thread for the thorax and hackle.

---

Alberto,

I gave it a try, kinda like you described:


hackle and wire tied in

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5342684a.jpg


peacock tied in at tips

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3cc4046a.jpg


wrap wire back to bend, keeping peacock on top of hook

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psbf24e614.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c9b77c1.jpg


pull the peacock up and take a few more wraps of wire behind

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psd80e04f0.jpg


start the wire forward, trapping the peacock under the return wraps

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psb423a3e6.jpg


helicopter wire, cover with thread, wrap peacock thorax; finish fly (not shown)

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...ps868af2aa.jpg

http://i1302.photobucket.com/albums/...psfa2a927a.jpg


No easier or harder than the original and the cat was skinned

Regards,
Scott