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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
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    Beacon Falls, CT
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    Question For what use ?

    I recently bought a couple Chinese hen saddles because they were nicely mottled with fine stems. Now I find that they are just too large for the size soft hackles I want to tie. Can anyone suggest other uses?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
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    Ashburn, Virginia
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    Beck's Super Bugger; I tie the body with 2 or 3 hen saddles.

    Regards,
    Scott

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ontario, Canada
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    You can use them for dry fly wings, or use a tying technique that allows you to use larger feathers for smaller flies. Or use the necks for throats on salmon flies, or tails on wets.

  4. #4

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    The following is step one for 90% of the soft hackles I tie (And I tie over a thousand a year for sale) after starting the thread. I very seldom wrap soft hackles now unless they're genetic hen, and I much more commonly use game bird or India hen feathers:

    --Strip some barbs, keeping the tips even. Tie in just behind the eye, facing forward. Spin the barbs around the hook using moderate thread tension and 2 wraps. Spread using fingers if necessary. Tighten thread.

    Tie the rest of the fly as desired, then throw a whip finish ahead of the barbs to stand them up.

  5. #5
    AlanB Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Longs for Cutts View Post
    The following is step one for 90% of the soft hackles I tie (And I tie over a thousand a year for sale) after starting the thread. I very seldom wrap soft hackles now unless they're genetic hen, and I much more commonly use game bird or India hen feathers:

    --Strip some barbs, keeping the tips even. Tie in just behind the eye, facing forward. Spin the barbs around the hook using moderate thread tension and 2 wraps. Spread using fingers if necessary. Tighten thread.

    Tie the rest of the fly as desired, then throw a whip finish ahead of the barbs to stand them up.
    Exactly what I'd do with them.

    Cheers,
    C.

  6. #6

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    Those are good tips... I do have a lot of large feathers that I have no use for. Now I know what to do with them!
    M
    "And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world" Satchmo

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
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    Ashburn, Virginia
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fly Tyer View Post
    use a tying technique that allows you to use larger feathers for smaller flies.
    Wally has a good video:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-dfsN0ZPkc

    Craig Mathews, too:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-jWkKpbLNU

    Regards,
    Scott

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