Whiting 100 Packs
has anybody tried these and how are they. i want to buy some for size 16. also i was wondering if the Cabelas micro packs by Metz were the same or better. in the cabelas catalog they look similar and are a little cheaper. i don't have much to spend and cant afford full or even 1/4 saddles now.
Thanks
Warm Water
I use them a lot, esp. for some styles of flies that I tend to tie in specific size. Good quality hackle that I have come to expect from Whiting. I find the sizing runs a little big, for example a size 16 is more like a 14 for the tying I do.
I like a heavy hackled fly for most of my fishing, so I'm not getting the '100 flies' per pack, I tend to get 3-4 flies per feather. Still a good number of bugs for $14 worth of feathers.
The Metz pre-sized hackles are a good bargain as well and you will get a wider range of sizes. These are packages of neck hackles sized small, med, large. You get a strip from three necks, in a variety of colors.
Best thing since sliced bread IMHO. I use them a LOT and have them in lots of sizes and colors. The quality is excellent and if you tie palmered flies you will LOVE them. You don't even need hackle pliers until the feather gets short.
Kengore is right about the sizes. I also use one size smaller than the stated package size but that's just a personal preference. There is also sometimes a variation in barb length along the length of a single feather too. A hackle gauge is a help at times since you can slide the saddle along the gauge to see if there is any variation.
Do some shopping for them too. The smaller sizes are the most expensive but I've found sizes 12-16 as low as $10.
The Whiting Hebert Pro grade capes are a much better deal, $22 per cape and you get more flies out of it then any 2 100's packs.
Joe Fox
guess i'll be needing sizes 18 and 20. i just bought 100 mustad barbless dry fly hooks for .99 cents plus 2.99 shipping. Much better price than the normal 11.49 i've seen.
Warm Water
They are great and they are all the right size, but they are a bit on the pricy side for what you get. If you can afford a little more get the 1/4 to 1/2 capes(the good ones)
If you can afford the few dollars at a time for the 100's, then I say go for it. They are great.
Perfect for those smaller flies, bigger flies I would look for something else (less expensive) however.
Most Excellent & Worthey !!!!
I Find the Whiting 100's to be superb when having to tie high quality & size specific patterns.
Most excellent & worthey, as well as I can find great deals on the 100's in places like Sprtsman's Warehouse & some select fly shops !!!!
Alpinefly (or MR.JML to y'all)
I have question related to this topic. WWFF I apologize for hijacking your thread but maybe this will help you too:
If you were to tie 90% of your flies in 1-2 sizes, would you buy necks or 100 Packs? I have tons of necks that are stripped clean of the smaller feathers but full of the size 14+. I've never found a neck that can tie as many flies of the same size as a 100 Pack so that's why I use them.
Don't forget, you are paying for sizing with the 100 Packs so you don't have to do it yourself; that's some of the cost. I have some of the Whiting Saddle patches too but I spend more time sizing than tying flies. I find it a lot harder to size saddle hackle than neck hackle.
Good point Bamboozle, but that is where you DO have to look for quality, that is why I mentioned the 1/4.Originally Posted by Bamboozle
I am luckier than most that my supplier goes to Whiting and gets the best and for $45 I get a 1/4 that I could probably make 10 to 15 of 100's packages (generous ones also) plus several other sizes. Like I said you have to look for them.
Don't get me wrong, I have bout hundreds of 100's
i prefer what ever is cheapest but still works well, like i said i have limited money
Warm Water
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