Necks or Saddles???

Do you usually buy necks or saddles or both & why? Do they have different tying qualities?

Norm

Norm,

I buy both, depending on what I'm trying to accomplish.

Necks tend to have a much wider range of feather sizes on them, say from size 8 down to 22, maybe a few feathers beyond these at either end. Saddles usually have just a few sizes, like 12 to 16, 14 to 18, etc (again, with a few feathers either side of these). Saddle feathers are longer and will tie more flies per feather.

If your primary interest is tying dry flies in a wide size range, then a neck will suit you fine.

If you want to tie a bunch of flies in a given size range, you might be better off with a saddle.

As far as feather quality, with the high quality hackle feathers available today, I see little difference. Certainly not enough to change the fishability, look, or tying ease of the fly.

I do know that as I find myself using fewer and fewer of the very small sizes, I'm going more and more to the saddles.

Of course, as you get farther and farther into this addiction, you will acquire LOTS of both...

Good Luck!

Buddy

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I tie for a living and normally buy saddles anymore. They will tie two to three sizes and I can get a lot of flies of a size from each saddle. More than any neck you will ever buy. You will also pick up speed in tying because you do not have to pick up and use your hackle pliers all the time. It adds up.
Now you can buy necks to get many different sizes of hackle if you are just starting out or do not tie to much. You should get several dozen flies in a size from a good cape.
I tie a lot of spring creek style flies anymore in smaller sizes. I have found I can buy full Whiting Midge Saddles and do not have to buy again for some time. When I was buying capes I would have to buy a new one sometimes after one order was filled. Even before at times. They just didn't have enough hackle of a size to get an order done. Plus I had a lot of hackle sizes that I hardly ever used.
I would suggest buy 1/4 saddles of the colors and sizes that you will use and you would be set for a long time.
Here are the colors that I like to have on hand and the sizes.

Lt Dun-#12-#22

Med Dun-#12-#22

Ginger-#12-#18

Grizzly-#8-#22

Brown- #8-#18

Black-#16-#22

Olive Dyed Grizzy- #10-#22

These are the colors that I like to have on hand all the time and normally do. If I am running low I will order them right away in the sizes that I am getting low in. That way if an order comes in I have what I need.

I would suggest that a person wanting to have a good slection on hand get 1/4 saddles in Med Dun, Grizzly, Brown and Ginger. You can cover most flies with those colors. As far as the Cree and other colors that may be hard to get. They are fun to have but are not nessary to tie most flies with. If you tie for yourself and want them by all means buy them and enjoy them. I have a few of my own that are cool colors and I like having them. After some time most tiers get to a point of just buying hackle because it is good quilty or a great color or in a great size.
I bought a great brown saddle one time (It would tie down to size #20's without a problem) I brought it to the counter and made a comment of how great it was. There was the counter guy and another fellow there (No Names) They both looked at me like I just fell off the wagon. I didn't have to ask when they got into tying because I knew it was after the good hackle came on the market. If they had been around tying before that they to would have loved looking at a good hackle. Instead they (like Many others now days) take it for granted. I remember looking for months for enough hackle to finish an order of size #18 dry flies.

Be glad that people are out there growing the hackle we need. Everyone of them makes it easier for use to tie the flies we like. I for one am dam glad they are there. Rmember that if just one of them went out of business it would be just that much harder to get the hackle we need to tie with. Heck it is hard to get it at times now. Ron




[This message has been edited by RonMT (edited 03 May 2005).]

Thanks for the quick replies. I learn alot from these boards. I had all my tying tools and materials in a large suitcase type bag. I left it in my truck overnight-(long story--I never do that normaly) and someone stole my bag. I have been collecting materials for a long time and am depressed at the thought of replacing all of it. I also had my laptop computer stolen at the same time with all the photos of my fishing trips.
I know the guy that stole it probably had no idea what the tying stuff was and probably trashed it.I am ordering new stuff and before I have allways purchased necks. I think after reading your post, I will replace them with saddles. Again thanks for the replies.


Norm



[This message has been edited by Norm (edited 03 May 2005).]

Norm,

One other thing to add. Is if you tie a lot of parachute style patterns I think the saddles are better. They have a smaller quill and will wrap easier around a small post.

Also most shops will sell cut a neck in half for you so you dont need to purchase a full one.

Have a nice day,


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John G.
Albuquerque, NM

I have heard that necks are better for palmered flies due to the steeper tapering on the feather size, can anyone confirm or refute this?

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Work is a means for people to afford their fishing.

Hi Norm,

For my tying (like RonMT) I use saddles exclusively for the same reasons he mentioned.

On the other hand after reading your second post and your problem after the theft of your whole outfit I suggest you purchase two Whiting Quarter Saddles per needed color - one larger than #14 and the other smaller than #14. That would give you a pretty good range of sizes.

Regarding color: If I were working on a limited budget I would start with two colors - brown & grizzly. Then build your hackle inventory from there s you can afford. Good luck & ...

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:d131c]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:d131c]