TerryB,
I will provide this little bit of info just for you to understand the hackle question and not to create confusion or get into any conflicts with other's opinions. As a rule of thumb, you tie palmered hackle with the hackle leaning back on a wet fly and you tie the hackle with the hackle leaning forward on a dry fly to help support the fly on the surface film. That is just a rule of thumb and the Crackleback is meant to be a dry fly that you pull under the surface at the end of the drift. You can tie it anyway you want and whatever way works best for you. I always tie it as a dry fly and lean the hackle forward.
Just my 1 cent worth.
Warren
Fly fishing and fly tying are two things that I do, and when I am doing them, they are the only 2 things I think about. They clear my mind.