Hi Steve I did this series of photos for another board but they might help you. The fly here is the Yellow Partridge but you can apply the technique to any soft hackle.


The best way I have found to do this is to grip the tip of the feather in a small pair of hackle pliers and pull all the loose fibres back. Then tie in.
To double the hackle takes quite a deft touch. Wet your finger and thumb and rub together untill they feel sticky then very gently fold the fibres back as in the second photo. Hold in that position as you wind. The result is photo 3. The couple of turns to form the head neatens the whole thing up.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"