Best way to weight softhackles?

[Rocketfish]

Hey guys.
I use to add weight to my soft hackles. Beads or lead wire. Partridge series mainly, which are 90% of my softs.
The original patterns do not show lead nor any weight.
The reason is that I love to use foating lines almost all the time, and usually a relativelly fast current obligates me to go down fast, or deep waters to put the fly where the trout are. A sink tip is not the best option of course.
Do you use weight on softhackles?

R.

[billhouk]

I use weight for some soft hackles. When I do I use .015 lead free wire. It is environmentally sound and I can layer it to provide bulk. It really depends on the pattern and how and where I'm going to fish it. I would think weight would be most appropriate in still water or in fast moving water (as you indicated).

[ScottP]

I don't usually like to fish softhackles too deep so, if I want to get one down I'll either use a beadhead, wire body or combination of both

Regards,
Scott

[Donald Nicolson]

There is no 'best' way to add weight to softhackles.
If you cast up-stream, the flies have a chance to sink deeper.
If you use hooks with a heavier guage wire this is another way.
Tie flies with wire bodies is another:-


I have used UTC fine and Xtra fine.
Here is an old favourite 'wired up'.


I have never been very keen on beads, unless they are quite small.


You'll notice the beads the beads are very small.
I have used Varivas hooks but they are not crucial.

[WarrenP]

You could also use Quick Descent dubbing for the body.

[JeffHamm]

Another good way is to tie your fly on a hook the next size up. So, tie a size 14 proportioned fly on a size 12 hook (short body, smaller hackle, etc). This will leave a fair amount of hook out the back end, but that bare hook adds weight and cuts through the water nicely. As Donald mentioned, cast upstream, and use heavier gage wire.

- Jeff

[CoachBob]

I use beads with the hackle between the bead and the hook eye. Note Donald Nicholson's photos where the "bump" is behind the hackle causing it to flare. That's what i do with a bead.

[Donald Nicolson]

My attitude to beads on spiders (softhackles) is purely a personal thing.
The (usually) small thorax I put on some spiders is because I think they
need it for appearances sake. The same applies to using a bead on a
spider, in many cases the bead is too much for that particular pattern.
I tie flies that appeal to me visually, I do not know whether it makes much
difference to the fish, here in Scotland that means trout.
I do not need to use a thorax to set the angle of the hackle.
Chosing the hackle and winding it on the hook is how I try to get the angle
right. I did not say 'do not use beads', I said 'I am not very keen on beads'
for the reasons stated above and anyone who wants to use beads in any
way they like, is ok with me. Nothing is carved in stone, either 'to do' or
'not to do' in fly dressing. I just have this feeling that using beads has to be
done with discrimination. Just a very personal attitude.
I do use beads in many ways, here are a few :-
http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/page12.html
http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/page51.html
http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/page6.html

By the way, my name is spelled Nicolson.

[Steven]

Hey guys.
I use to add weight to my soft hackles. Beads or lead wire. Partridge series mainly, which are 90% of my softs.
The original patterns do not show lead nor any weight.
The reason is that I love to use foating lines almost all the time, and usually a relativelly fast current obligates me to go down fast, or deep waters to put the fly where the trout are. A sink tip is not the best option of course.
Do you use weight on softhackles?

R.

I don't. Small split shot - 8" up.

A weighted poly leader, such as those sold by AirFlo - could be an answer as well if one is simply swinging downstream.

[EdD]

I don't. Small split shot - 8" up.

A weighted poly leader, such as those sold by AirFlo - could be an answer as well if one is simply swinging downstream.

I am tending more towards a hybrid of Donald Nicolson and Steve. I tend to not weight soft hackles that I'm tying now, but I do tie weighted flies to fish as a bottom dropper to take a cast down, if desired. That way the unweighted flies are taken deeper into the water profile but they are still light enough in weight to move and dance more naturally, like an actual "bug".
Leo D. put me onto some hooks that mean I don't have to pay the extreme prices for Varivas hooks that Donald uses. They are exactly the same, but the seem to be close enough.
I still need to tie more flies for Saturday.

Ed

P.S. Leo, I've got your 37160's bagged for you. I'll try to get by the shop on Wednesday evening.