Hi Gandolf,

Like EdD said, you can get dyed tail feathers for the same price as naturals so I buy mine all dyed, nice and neat, sealed in a great little package. To be really honest with you, I don't think that the difference between natural pheasant feathers and dyed olive, or natural and dyed orange, or natural and any other color makes much difference in most free-stone streams 99% of the time. Food is scarce and the water is fast, trout have to act in a split second if they want a snack.

On the other hand, dyeing your own fly tying stuff is a rite of passage that we all go through. Some stuff turns out well, some stuff gets ruined, and some stuff turns out turns out decidedly different than expected. It all makes a good story and good material for BB posts.

When I have questions about coloring fly tying material, I go right to the source and check AK Best's book on dyeing and bleaching. Have fun with your project. 8T