I was reading Tapply’s article, “Flymphs Reconsidered” and I was caught off-guard by a statement he made.
Near the end of the article, as he describes tight line fishing methods for flymphs, he says, “Carry a selection of flymphs tied with stiffer hen and c-o-c-k hackles.”
My question is this: What do you recommend for these? I currently use partridge, starling, and hen hackle, but I thought c-o-c-k hackle was specifically for dry flies. Have I overlooked something?
I believe that Leisenring used stiffer hackle on some flies to account for strong currents in a stream where soft hackle would lay too flat. I think that standard dry fly rooster neck hackle was his choice although I’m not an expert on Leisenring. I don’t have the book in front of me but I believe that Sylvester Nemes lists rooster hackle as a material on some of Leisenring’s flies.
Montanaboy is onto something. Stiffer hackles are often used in faster waters so the hackles will stand out from the body. Another thought is that genetics have come a long way in a short time. Some hen hackle today is almost as stiff as c-o-c-k hackles. Also, cockerel, roosters less than one year old, were also used because their feather barbs weren’t as stiff as a mature bird. Just my opinion.
REE
The use of coc*k hackle for wet flies by West of England fly anglers goes back a long way.
The earliest book was published in 1863 by H. C. Cutcliffe. Only about six years after W. C. Stewart’s book.
There is a very good source of patterns in Roger Woolley’s book ‘Modern Trout Fly Dressings’ 1932.
Here are some that I have tied from that book.
BWO
Half Stone, by the way, you’ll find a version of this fly in Leisenring’s book.
Pheasant Tail
These flies can be used as dry flies, as they often are, if they get swamped, fish them as wets.
The recipes shown are all UK patterns, it is not difficult to come up with suitable patterns for your area.
For more information
http://www.dtnicolson.dial.pipex.com/page109.html
I am going off for a stiff drink, it has taken me about 45 mins just to get this sent, poxy landline.
The first flymph I was shown how to tie, named the Delaware Flymph, used brown dry fly hackles. I have a magazine article, several years old, on Leisenring and the Flymph, that used dry fly hackle in the tying directions. I tie them both ways with either dry fly or soft hackles.
Most of the oldest “soft hackles” fished around here were tied with the low grade rooster hackle. There are a number I still tie that way because of tradition. Orange Fish Hawk comes to mind, heavy badger hackle as soft of rooster as you can find.
Joe Fox
Lives there so elite a ‘purist’ who has not ‘fished out’ a drowned dry? The difference is, the ‘purist’ looks left and right and back and, then deliberately, fishes the thing as a worm. Yes, he feels guilt.
I have pulled many a dry fly under at the end of a drift, and been pleasantly surprised by many strikes when doing so… even landed a fair number of them. I feel no guilt because I am a slug, and not a purist. I have even been known to not properly dry my equipment at the end of the day when the beer truck arrives. It’s all about personal preference and priorities.
I’m in no way adverse to fishing dries as emergers or ascending caddis hung up on their anchor silk and dangling tantalizingly in the face of large trout…no, that doesn’t bother me at all because it works so well. No purist here either but I do love the sight of the confident rise to the floating dry.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
I have even been known to not properly dry my equipment at the end of the day when the beer truck arrives. It’s all about personal preference and priorities.
Joe............ Oh no ! say it isn't so . :shock: :shock:
The beer truck comes to your house ??? :o :o