Hackle sizing?

I know if I do some extensive research I can find the answer to this, but I like the opinions of those on this board. Ok, I'm new to this(tying, fishing, all of it) and I'm just trying to figure out how to size the hackle for my buggers, etc.. I have limited supplies, and I have a hard time picking out the hackle for wooly buggers etc. Whats the trick to this? Also, my marabou tails always end up looking like drowned rats!! I guess I need to use more material when making them. Is it common for beginners to use too little material, and turn out with ugly flies? Any help you might offer up would be greatly appreciated!!

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take life easy, because everyone else will try to make it seem so hard!

My post should have been worded differently I guess. I'm not having a hard time woth picking the size for a given hook when tying, but more picking it out at a store to purchase for my tying. I have one of those little hackle guages for tying, but ned to know of the different popular sizes available I guess. Thanks for your time and patience with me!

I don't bother with a hackle gauge for wet flies and buggers. I dont' think the proportions needs to be all that precise. I have fished very effective buggers with hackle anywhere from 1 to 2 times the length of the hook gap.

I do use a gauge when tying dry flies, however. In fact, I pre-size my hackles and put them in zip lock bags, with one bag per color and per size. For example, Grizzly size 12. Griffin makes a guage, but I have read good things about the Whiting gauge, which is new.

Peter

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Peter F
www.fishingwithflies.com
pfrailey@hotmail.com

Chris,
Thanks for your thorough explanation. It's eaxactly the kind of help I was looking for, but I think my question is still unanswered a bit. Here's the deal, I'm going to tie a ton of wooly buggers this winter. I want to go and buy materials for just that. I guess I'll be tying a few different sizes, so should I buy a cape, or a saddle? I have what I beleive is a Grizzly cape. it cost me around $40 if my memory serves me well. My issue is that all of the hackles on this seem to have too short of barbules to tie buggers with. I hope you can understand my question, I talk in circles lots of times. Thanks again for your time and patience in this issue.

how cannot edit my posts easily? When I go to do an edit (spelling correction, etc..) it replaces the space where the letter used to be, thus ruining the rest of the sentence. How can I change this?

bwagner: I think what you want is a crappy saddle hackle. If as you say you paid $40 for your feathers you probably have a fairly good neck. Many of the small feathers would be good for dry flies and only the larger, webbier ones near the bottom would be good for wet flies. For buggers they may still be too short. Saddle hackles as mentioned are usually all about the same size on a skin. But on a poorer quality one they are all softer, webbier hackles which is what you want for buggers. I have some that cost between $11 and $26Cdn! Here is a sample of the appearance [url=http://hareline.com/images/harelinejpegweb/SCSH.jpg:3e087]http://hareline.com/images/harelinejpegweb/SCSH.jpg[/url:3e087]

Cheers.

If your tying a bunch of flies in one or two sizes get a saddle, pull it out of the bag and check the barbs for length if possible, if ordering online tell them what your intended use is and what sizes you'll be tying, they should help you with little to no problems

later
Mike

I've tied for awhile now and have far more tying material than I will use in this lifetime (I'm hoping for reincarnation as a full time trout bum), but I couldn't pass up the Conranch sale on #3 saddles. One big difference I found between Denny's saddles and any of the others I use is that he leaves on the schlappen feathers on either side of the saddle, and they are perfect for woolly buggers (or Spey flies, for that matter). And at $10 apiece, you can't beat the price.