This is Henrich Schlarb's first contribution to Fly of the Week, and what a great way to start with possibly the first fly patten that was used in early days of fly fishing, a soft hackle wet fly.

Heinrich Schlarb did a wonderful job in the FOTW article, showing how simple a soft hackle wet fly is to dress. Just about any hook, thread, and hackle will do the trick. It does take some practice, if you have not ever done a soft hackle pattern, but a few trial runs and you will have it down pat.

Starling is a favorite material for soft hackle flies, specially those of British origin. Dressers of hooks need to remember that what may be legal in Britain, may not be legal in the USA. Although starlings were brought over to New York City, from there they spread out across most of the USA, in many states they are protected song bird, along with the Blue Jays, Crows, and Raven and might be illegal to use in fly tying.

As for soft hackle, hen hackle is used today for various hackle material that has become hard to procure, or is banned. You do not need silk thread, any thread will do, as is for wire or other ribbing material. If you want to use muskrat that is alright and legal, but you can use other natural and man-made dubbing also. ~Parnelli