With all the speculation and discussion on the proper ways to prepare, tie-in and wind dry fly hackle, this video attempts to demystify the subject.
good review
I tie with the shiny side forward due to the natural curve of the feather. This helps keep the hackle from crowding the eye of the hook. I also have just a “Wiff” of dubbing as a “pillow” to assist if the stem of the hackle might be non-cooperative. That tiny bit of dubbing helps “seat” the stem.
A child-like drawing which exaggerates the natural curve, but, on some old hackle, not really that exaggerated.
That’s exactly how the curvature of the feather is, and how it wraps on the hook. And it can in some feathers alleviate the problem of trapping fibers at tie-off. The flip-side to that coin, is that dull/dry side forward due to the way the strength of the fibers naturally push things forward, supports the eye of the hook much better. You are simply playing to the natural strength of the feather. Wrapped shiny side forward, when tension is applied and hackle becomes wet, the tendency for the fibers to press back against the body of the fly and lose support is much greater. You won’t notice it on a dried, newly tied fly sitting on the bench. But get it wet and apply surface tension from the leader…it happens.
A demonstration of that would be to tie two wingless Light Cahills (random selection). Now, attempt to turn that dry fly into a wet, by wrapping back into the hackle and forcing it back around the body of the fly. You will see it’s darn near impossible with a dull side forward hackle and the hackle fibers will fight your wraps. But it is fairly easy with a shiny side forward hackle because the natural tendency is to lean in the weakest direction. Which is where the wet side/dry side representation comes from.
Just food for thought.
But as demonstrated in the video, for most dries, especially smaller flies, the difference is small.
I have, I think, developed a method of wrapping behind the wings (on a dry) with the dull side forward, and in front of the wings, with the shiny side forward.
Can you picture the footprint of that?
Interesting. Years ago with poorer grade chinese necks, I often used 2 hackles and tied the first shiney forward and the 2nd dull forward.
When I first started tying, all we really had were a big barrel of Chinese necks at the local fly shop to choose from. I think there may have been a few very expensive domestic necks, but we would just rummage through the barrel. It would take AT LEAST two feathers for a dry fly.
Some of those early Metz or Hebert necks look pretty sick these days! Compared to what Whiting produces mow.
It definitely was a far different world not too long ago when it comes to hackle. 
For me, it was a long time ago…mid-70’s when I started tying.
You have me beat…1990
Not a very nice tie, but done with shiny side back at rear, and shiny side forward at front.
Does make a stable “platform”
Thanks Ralph, I now have some diagrams to help me! I just can never remember!
Mike
I like the concept you presented also Byron, have to try it on some ties.
Mike
Maybe a better example.
A very nice tie Byron.
Thanks Jeremy. Hard to tell, maybe, but the hackle behind the wings is dull side forward…Front hackle is shiny side forward.
Same here.
One thing I expected to see in the video, though, was that you can tie in hackle with the butts facing rearward, tip extending beyond the eye. (Tie in behind wings as soon as the wings are mounted.) This helps give taper to the body, and hides the butts under the body. When it’s time to wrap the hackle bend it back to “break” the stem at the tie-in point. This leaves the hackle at 90 degrees to the hook, and the first wrap is much easier.
I was taught this method decades ago by a guy who could tie full dress salmon flies, so I guess it’s as good as method as any. I still use from time to time.
Redietz.
I think you are referring to the “reverse hackle” method. I like that for not crowding the eye!
Agreed, there are a good number more methods for tying in hackle. My main goal though was to demonstrate how the main ones debated, could all be used effectively with consistent technique.
To me, “reverse hackle” means winding the hackle from front to back (with thread waiting behind the wing) and then winding the thread forward through the hackle to the eye. That’s not what I’m describing, but it does indeed save room at the eye.
What does anyone else think “reverse hackle” mean?