Black Tipped Badger and Coch-a-bondu Hackle

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

I was looking through a fly tying book from the 70s and in the picture showing the "badger" feather the feather was white with a black centre stripe and black tips as well. In all sorts of books the proper Coch-a-bondu (sp?) hackle is a brown with black centre strip (along the stem) and black tips (so the centre and edges of the feather are black).

I've never seen feathers like either of these for sale, and the books all point out that the Coch-a-bondu is as rare as hen's teeth, but I've never seen the black-tipped badger either. All the feathers referred to as badger are just white with black centres. Does anyone breed these anymore, or are these just rare birds?

- Jeff

[DShock]

Jeff,
Here is a link; http://www.flyanglersonline.com/flyt...rms/fft-b.html

Check out the comment on the bottom; http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/...p/t-19688.html
Doug

[EdD]

Hi,

I was looking through a fly tying book from the 70s and in the picture showing the "badger" feather the feather was white with a black centre stripe and black tips as well. In all sorts of books the proper Coch-a-bondu (sp?) hackle is a brown with black centre strip (along the stem) and black tips (so the centre and edges of the feather are black).

I've never seen feathers like either of these for sale, and the books all point out that the Coch-a-bondu is as rare as hen's teeth, but I've never seen the black-tipped badger either. All the feathers referred to as badger are just white with black centres. Does anyone breed these anymore, or are these just rare birds?

- Jeff

Brown with a black center (along the quill) is also known as Furnace and seems to be quite common in the fly shops which are local to me. I think that it is also called Greenwell, in the UK, but I may be quite wrong about that.

Ed

[Donald Nicolson]

I just checked in John Veniard's 'Fly Dressers Guide' 1966 1968 1970.

Badger - Black centre with white outer fibres, sometimes with black tips.
Furnace - Black centre with red outer fibres.
Coch-Y-Bondhu - As Furnace but with the edges of the fibres tipped with black.
Greenwell - Black centre with ginger outer fibres.

As Veniards is a very long established tying supply firm and John Veniard was an excellent fly dresser, I think I'll take his word.
Although I will admit, I often have trouble with red, ginger and brown.

[Skip48]

The latest cape I bought was a Golden Badger and I really like it. It's just a bronze grade, but nice enough for my purpose. Here is a couple of pics....

Skip

[Donald Nicolson]

"The latest cape I bought was a Golden Badger and I really like it."

Or is it Greenwell?

[EdD]

I just checked in John Veniard's 'Fly Dressers Guide' 1966 1968 1970.

Badger - Black centre with white outer fibres, sometimes with black tips.
Furnace - Black centre with red outer fibres.
Coch-Y-Bondhu - As Furnace but with the edges of the fibres tipped with black.
Greenwell - Black centre with ginger outer fibres.

As Veniards is a very long established tying supply firm and John Veniard was an excellent fly dresser, I think I'll take his word.
Although I will admit, I often have trouble with red, ginger and brown.

Thanks, Donald. I was unsure about the Greenwell. I have seen various descriptions of it on-line. Your reference is impeccable and I shall not consider myself no longer unsure.

Do you ever use a pattern called the Cruncher. I'm going to try that one out as soon as I can get to it.


Ed

[Donald Nicolson]

The 'Cruncher' is I think, a stillwater pattern which has been very popular over here for a few years.
If I remember correctly, it is a Flymph with either cockeral or hen hackle and a variety of bodies and colours.

I could be wrong, I often am.

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

Thanks everyone. I can get furnace easily enough, and badger without the black tips. Have seen some capes which would fit tipless Greenwells although I thought Greenwells was suppose to be ginger furnace with black tips too (ginger Coch-y-bondu I guess), but I will bow to Donald's research on that without shame. It's just I've never seen for sale any of the black centre and black-tipped hackles and was wondering if they were still for sale by anyone?

- Jeff

[Donald Nicolson]

Coch-Y-Bondhu is rare Jeff, and so is Greenwell.
The best bet is with Conranch, his Furnace has some feathers with black tips.
I don't think anybody really tries to breed Coch-Y-Bondhu now-a-days.