Hackle size

[Steve Molcsan]

Trying to get a photograph that shows the size perspective is harder than tying the fly. LOL
Attachment 8852Attachment 8851Attachment 8850

Attachment 8848Attachment 8849

Wonderful photos!

[Denny]

I have some size 32, #277 hooks that are the smallest hook ever made that I know of. Yes, I obtained them from Allan, and a few from Hans.
I have never seen hackle gauged to proper size on any saddle for this hook. All of my capes have some that will size properly.
To satisfy my personal interest I got out my mike and measured (with my optivisors on my head) 4 of my 277s.
From center of the shank to the point of the hook I get 0.033. If hackle is supposed to be 1 and 1/2 times the gape measurement
my math says it should be 0.046875. To relate in my mind I know 1/16" = 0.0625 and 1/32" = 0.03125, and 1/64" = 0.015625.
I come up with 3/64" = correct untrimmed hackle length, or 0.046875.
I know a lot of tiers tie with over size hackle and then trim them. It is easy for me to see that trimmed hackle no longer has natures tiny points, which is what a fish sees when looking up at a dry fly, like feet of a natural insect.
Several years ago I had a tier ask me if I really had size 32 hackle or was I full of BS like other breeders he had tried and was not pleased with for size, relating that he felt it was false advertising.
I e-mailed him back and told him I honestly did not know because I could not see well enough to size that small, I only went by what my customers told me. I asked for his ship to address, sent him quite a few of the smallest cape hackles I had, and sent them to him, no charge with a request for him to tell me what he found after he tried them He actually fishes with them in gin clear water and catches very small trout.
Before he contacted me back I read a post he placed here on the BB, relating the same story I am posting above with his results. Find it if you want and read his results. He has become a life long customer of Conranch Hackle. A couple days later he did contact me with his results.
I stick to my statement, I have never seen saddle hackle that will tie a proper size on the 277, from any breeder.
I would have to hold it in my own hands and gauge it myself.
I do not doubt Don O. He is an honest and reputable man. I personally have never seen it.

I do not tie on my hooks, they are for the collector only part of my brain. I do have several tied by far more skilled tiers than my self.
All that I have in my collection have been tied using my cape hackle. They show eyesight and skill I know I do not have.

Denny

[Allan]

Guys,

Just in case you haven't seen flies tyed on Mustad 32s, here's a collection from Hans' site. One thing you may see, among the amazing work of these tyers, is that it appears to these eyes that the hackle on all of the flies where it is used, is oversized. That supports what Denny said in his post. However, I really doubt that anyone viewing these flies, with or without the aid of magnifiers would find fault in their construction. As I said, they are amazing works.

http://www.danica.com/flytier/sfp/sfp.htm

Allan