Anyone have any experience with the Hook & Hackle “Premium” capes? I was wondering what their quality was. I have had good luck with H&H products, but don’t want to spend that kind of money on a inferior cape. Thanks
i have no idea on the quality but i just cant buy hackles online. i gotta inspect them in person before i buy. just my personal preference.
Some people don’t have fly shops close to their homes, and cannot hand pick their own capes (or anything else, for that matter). Ron at H&H is a really super guy. You can ask one of the guys to pick a great cape for you, and if it’s not up to your liking when it arrives at your house … send it back. Good people there … just ask!!!
That’s why when I need them I get em from Denny at Conranch, never been disappointed yet!!! Normand only 1!!! fly shop in my area will allow me to take capes out of their packages to look at them, the others won’t so hands on even when in front of you is not always possible.
Fatman
As Betty Hiner says, Ron at Hook & Hackle is great to deal with but as a regular user of “remote” suppliers I have learned over the years to concentrate on those where you are ordering by one-on-one telephone conversations and not by a written order form. With this being a given, the next step is to get assurance that you are talking to a “fly tier” and not an “order taker”. If you want elk hair that is straight, tell them so. Once you have done this you should confirm that materials are returnable. This may seem like quite an ordeal but keep in mind that you have to do it only on the first visit. After that they may remember you by name considering you a good skilled customer and not just a problem maker. Have faith, there are a lot of good guys out there.
Denny is just the best for hackle AND he carries some other goodies. If you aren’t his customer as a fly tier you’ve really missed out!
Living here in New Zealand the highest quality capes and saddles I can buy is Metz, I do buy from TradeMe (the NZ version of eBay) when I can afford to bid for the cape or saddle - but usually I buy online from my favourite fly tying supplier (no fly shops closer to me) and they are like your Hook n Hackle guys and I have not had a rum deal from them yet.
It is very hard to get capes and saddles imported into NZ because our customs are very, very strict about avian and fur products coming across our borders.
Jeanne
I think Denny has great hackle, why go to a box store when you can go to a specialty shop. Hook and Hackle has tons of goodies, but I don’t buy feathers anymore from major suppliers…I prefer one like Denny who will search for the right cape or saddle for you…he will hand pick it if you prefer…and you cannot beat that, or his feathers in my opinion. He has some EXCELLENT hackle. Buy your eyes, hooks, synthetics…whatever from H&H…if you want. They are a good company too. But I hate buying feathers sight unseen, with Denny you are in good hands.
Some people may not know who “Denny” is…or how to contact him. I know…hard to believe huh? Well new members may not be that familiar but may be interested in hackle. Sooooo…Conranch Hackle is a sponsor.
“Breeder of fine dry fly hackle birds and exotics”
It’s all about the birds. The co-owner of Conranch Hackle, Dennis Conrad, started raising birds about 45 years ago. It all started with working toward a merit badge in Scouts. (The other owner is Dennis’s daughter, Liz.)
Having started as a fly fisherman and tying his own flies at about 10 years of age, he naturally drifted toward the birds used for flies. An old friend had this flock of dry fly birds. He had tried to purchase some from time to time when he had a little money. But the friend would not sell Dennis even one live rooster. He did not understand why at the time. When he passed away Dennis obtained the entire flock. The age of that breeding flock is over 40 years old. There has never been any new blood introduced in all that time. There are enough families that one can, by careful breeding and selection keep the colors, perfect them and keep the dry fly quality.
Careful breeding and selection is what makes Conranch Hackle special. How good? Read the [b]Product Review[/b] from Global Fly Fishers. How are the necks graded? Everyone has his or her own secret method. Dennis’s are no secret. The number of the different sizes of feathers in a cape, overall size of the cape, (how many flies can be tied per cape) overall appearance and color. After handling and tying for over 50 years, Dennis asks himself, “would you pay the grade price for the grade you just determined?” He has used enough in his lifetime and like everyone else watches his money pretty close. 
They also have the policy that if a customer is not satisfied for any reason, just return them and you will be refunded with no questions asked. (It’s happened twice in five years, ask Dennis to tell you the story.)
One more thing, Dennis does not sell to fly shops. You buy directly from him. No middleman. No hype, no big advertising campaign. Just great hackle at fair prices.
To quote Dennis, “I am doing what I enjoy in life and if I had the choice to go anyplace in the world and do anything I wanted, my choice would be to stay here and do what I am doing.”
Have a question? Need a specific color or hackle? Not sure just what you need? Call Dennis, (509) 999-7472! He actually LIKES to talk with his customers!