Well I just spent 2 hours sorting through loose partridge feathers looking for the right sizes to tie soft hackles. I’ll bet 90% of the stuff in the bag was just fluff - useless trash. There has got to be a better way. What are your opinions on buying partridge skins or capes, whatever they are called. If you think that is the best way to go where is a good source?
Now, once I get some good feathers and I start tying how do you recommend tying the feather in? By the tip or base? Do you strip the barbels from one side prior to wrapping? I remember seeing a good web site on this issue but can’t remember where it was but I think it recommended tying in at the tip. Anyone have any websites to point me in the direction of.
BTW, one of my favorite flys is the Partridge and quill, it’s a killer on the White river in Arkansas. I finally ran out of the ones I had tied last year and I guess since I am a year older now I don’t feel like fighting the hackle and tying as much as I did to tie the original batch.
I get the full bird that way I can get a full range of feathers and I use the rest of the bird for other things. I tie it in at the base and fold the feather. The folding is not needed but I like the way it look a little better. Even with the full bird most of the feathers are useless. Many are too big or the colors off. I would say you get a few more then you would out of a bag, but when you look at the price bags are better, you do have to take more time sorting where on the bird you tend to get a good idea where the feathers you want are. Another thing is where you get it from. I found in the past alot of places just have crap in a bag filled with air. And I know I’m going on and on but one last thing, the type of partridge is the biggest factor. English Pat is by far the best but now hard to find and not cheap when you do. The are smaller feathers and more darker colors.
I won’t buy any loose feathers for the reasons you’re talking about. I have also read that feathers on the skin retain some oil which keeps the hackle stem more flexible than the dries out “pre-packaged” ones. As far as soft hackles other than the Partridge series… look at Conranch Hackles here in the sponsor section and go to the JV hen. One of the easiest feathers to use that I have found and I tie quite a few soft hackles that I fish on the same water you’re talking about. I’m slowly phasing out partridge and am using Conranch almost exclusively now.
Mike
There is no greater fan of flyfishing than the worm.
When he visits a fishing club here he will often ask the best tier there to find a hackle for an orange partridge from a pack of hackles. Then he will pick up a skin and find the right hackle in seconds leaving the tier in a mess of feathers.
The point is that there is little or no point buying packs of feathers buy the skin. I usually get a new one every year and I’m never stuck for a hackle.
Regards,
Alan.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
Want to see a slide show of a partridge soft hackle being applied? It is in German and takes a few seconds for each page to change.
This is an interesting site.
This a poor description, but take a larger feather and lay it on top of the hook shank. Then with thread spin the feather barbas around the hook like you would deer hair.
You might also want to consider using Coq De Leon Hen Capes for small stuff. The Brown Speckled and some times Silver Speckled has a close resemblance to Partridge.The body feathers are really close , but they tend to be 12’s and larger.
English Brown Partridge is beautiful stuff.I have some given to me from Mary Dette Clark. The Partridge available from wapsi is close, ask for a small pelt. I find that the best small brown speckled feathers come from the area between the wings. You can get about 7-8 dozen feathers that will tie 12s thru 16s . The 16s will be in short supply about a dozen or maybe 2 dozen. If you get a small pelt that number should go up. You get a few that will tie 18’s , but they are really tuff to get.
Hope this helps,
Jim
Dan, as others have advised, get a full skin and either inspect it first or buy from a reputable source. A sponsor, Coffins Creek Furs, sells them and you don’t have to pay until you’ve received them, so you do get to inspect them first.
JV Hens are great and one of the reasons I like them is all the colors different from partridge. If you want a color close to partridge just call Denny and ask him. That’s one of the advantages of getting stuff from Conranch, great personal service.
Your problem with the German site is probably due to your not having Java installed. Java is required to see the picture slide show.
Dan… if you can, have Denny try to track down a ginger variant or similar type hackle for the partridge substitute. Go to his site and look at the JV hens for the different colors available.
look at the technique Rick Z mentioned it will totally transform how you look for and or at feathers for the tying of soft hackles. I personally have always preferred Hun soft hackles over the english or any others.
This is from the archives regarding JV Hens. I thought it might be helpful. Denny has a quality product and his service is awesome.
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I emailed Denny today about his JV Hen Hackle asking for some suggestions and several questions. Here is his nice reply:
Thanks for your interest in our JV hens. They are as good as the glowing reports would have you thinking.
If I were to be allowed only one color it would have to be the dark Blue Dun (Old Darby color) that has the black laced edge.
My second choice would be the more pale Blue dun with the chocolate laced edge.
Then would be the medium brown as they more closely resemble the Hun Partridge.
I thought others might appreciate reading his suggestions.
I am also elated with him taking the time to share info and to answer all my goof ball questions. Many places would not DEMONSTRATE the service that he did. You can really tell he walks the walks in customer focus action and appreciates us tiers. Others have written of Denny’s great treatment and I concur that he is a quality person.
Sorry about the delay in replying I have been away at the Scottish Game Fair (I don’t know how you can put up with things so far apart 300 miles is not far in the States I’m told but it is a long drive here)
Cookshill do ship a lot of their product to the States but I have no idea about the cost, sorry.
Email Steve, and he will sort you out. Tell him I have recommended him and he’ll charge you double!
If you need any other help then you can email me if you like.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”
Well the other day I was in Bass pro and noticed they had some half skins. I bought the best one for 13 bucks and it is definitely better than the loose hackle. I am sure a better grade of skin would be even better! I am looking into the JV hen and the quail intrigues me as well. The big problem is getting hackle for 16 and 18 sizes. But then again, once I have them I have to hackle the fly and that in it’s self is a challenge.