RonMT,

I tie my EHC this way too, but I have noticed that the hackle from my best capes gets bound down while the hackle from my pro grade cheapoes does not and looks great. I also brush my hackle with an old toothbrush, perpendicular to the hook, as I wind the wire to maks sure the hackle remains free. (Yes! Set your chickens free!). I don't know why the good hackle doesn't give me a good fly but the cheaper hackle does. I suspect it has something to do with the hackle being more heavily barbed and the extra barbs are getting in the way, wiggling the wire or brushing the hackle nowithstanding.

So anglerdave, my advise is to not spend a fist full of dollars on great hackle. Spend $20 on a grade 3 or a pro grade and tie away!