DRY FLY Hackle - Neck or Saddle?

[Allan]

Okay, You've managed to find some extra money and you want to buy some dry fly hackle. You can buy a neck or a saddle(equal grade), no other option. Now, forget for a moment which offers the most feathers or possibility to tye more flies in a couple of given sizes, or that one has a greater range of sizes, or that one is easier to use than the other, etc. In other words, forget every positive thing about one or the other, and make your decision on this and this alone: Which one offers the best dry fly hackle feather and why?

This might get interesting.

Allan

[ScottP]

One advantage saddles had was thinner quills which made winding the hackle easier and allowed for more wraps within a given space so denser and more floatable (???). I don't have any capes in grades higher than Bronze/Pro/whatever but it seems chicken breeders have narrowed that gap (no pun intended), too. For tyers today, I don't think there's any wrong decision.

Regards,
Scott

[pittendrigh]

You asked about hackle feathers.
But it is interesting to note there are alternatives. I use fewer and fewer feathers every year--because the cost of good dry fly feathers makes me feel foolish somehow.

Hair Hackles:


Zelon Hackles:

[narcodog]

I prefer necks and own very few saddles. For me I tend to waste more saddle hackle when the saddles will tye two or more flies. As far as stem size and density of hackle I really don't see much difference.

[aged_sage]

Given the fundamental nature of the two feather areas on the bird, and thus the feathers themselves, one would expect the cape feathers to have stiffer barbules than those on a saddle feather. May not be true with today's genetic stuff. I have never compared them.

[ScottP]

You asked about hackle feathers.
But it is interesting to note there are alternatives. I use fewer and fewer feathers every year--because the cost of good dry fly feathers makes me feel foolish somehow.

True; a bit of foam will compensate for even the poorest grade hackle:



Regards,
Scott

[NJTroutbum]

For strictly dry fly hackle quality?.....necks. A top quality Saddle comes "close" to a good neck. But not quite.

For versatility?.....necks.

The one item to consider is what you will be tying. If 80% of your tying is on #10-12 stimulators, then a Saddle that fits your slot is the better choice. It will tie far more flies for you in the size you seek. But if you will tie a little of everything that you find on your local trout waters?......a neck, hands down.

Especially with the prices getting flipped on us recently, its not necessarily cheaper for a top quality saddle over a neck these days.

[fritz]

I agree with NJTroutbum about longer hackles on a saddle, especially when tying longer body flies such as stimulators and wooley buggers

For strictly dry fly hackle quality?.....necks. A top quality Saddle comes "close" to a good neck. But not quite.

For versatility?.....necks.

The one item to consider is what you will be tying. If 80% of your tying is on #10-12 stimulators, then a Saddle that fits your slot is the better choice. It will tie far more flies for you in the size you seek. But if you will tie a little of everything that you find on your local trout waters?......a neck, hands down.

Especially with the prices getting flipped on us recently, its not necessarily cheaper for a top quality saddle over a neck these days.

[Silver Creek]

Yup, necks have stiffer hackle than saddles and are better for dry flies. Having said that I use saddles because they are cheaper per fly.

[Byron haugh]

In addition to the long, long saddle feathers, I find that their stems are better for hackling. The stems on neck hackle are generally stiffer and larger in diameter.

It seems to me that Whiting has concentrated a little more on their wonderful saddles in the last several years. Their saddle hackle today is much better than what it was even a few years ago. I could never go back to using necks - except for tail material or tying streamers.