Whiting spey

All about flies Fly Tying
1

I noticed Whiting has ‘Spey pelts’ on their website. Has anyone been able to buy one yet, and did tey really bring the ‘original’ Spey cocks back?

2

Unless it’s something really new, I was not impressed. Their Spey hackle of a couple years ago was too fine and very fragile. Just my opinion though.

Happy New Year Trails!
Ronn

3

Hi josko,

Ronn is right, they are bit soft. I’m pretty sure they are from show birds stock called Silky. If I had to describe them they are about half way between marabou and blue ear pheasant. Take care & …

Tight Lines - Al Beatty [url=http://www.btsflyfishing.com:40ddf]www.btsflyfishing.com[/url:40ddf]

4

I played with some couple years ago, then last year I heard that Whiting didn’t sell any wholesale spey.

Could this be a “new” product, perhaps improved over the previous offering? Spey v2.0?

bubba_orvis

5

I orderd silver grade Whiting spey hackle last week from Stone River Outfitters .Well it came Saturday and I sent it back this morning.Stringy,no body and almost imposible to seperate the indvidual feathers.No problem with Stone River Outfitters they were more than happy to exchange for another item.Don’t even look at the bronze grade junk. I am going to have to look at some of Ron Lucas’s hackle.

[This message has been edited by fishingseaducer (edited 28 December 2005).]

[This message has been edited by fishingseaducer (edited 29 December 2005).]

6

Hi Josko
I have to agree with ronn I bought one two years ago and it is garbage. I hope they get some new stuff.

7

I bought one recently, and I have to confess that I am happy with mine.

Its a grizzle, with the characteristic stiff hackles ideal for my purposes in tailing.

I may have just been lucky or maybe they have improved, I have no previous experience of them.

8

You may have bought something different Mickporter as I don’t see where Grizzly Spey is offerd on Whitings Web site.

9

The necks of two years ago were not very impressive. I purchased one in November from the latest crop,much improved in density and stiffness.

Regards,
FK

10

I am no spey expert by any means, but I wouldn’t think stiffness would be a desired quality for spey hackle.
Steve

“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went”-Will Rogers

11

You may have bought something different Mickporter as I don’t see where Grizzly Spey is offerd on Whitings Web site.

Yes you are partially right. When I check the packet, its described as a ‘unique variant’, and I suppose its a mix of white/badger/ and grizzle. Its silver grade, and I still hold that its a nice cape.

Its my first whiting spey neck. It ideally suits my need for tailing on imatitive dry patterns. It has very long almost hairy webs to each feather. Feather fibres do not marry as in normal feathers I have used, which makes it perfect to take bunches and tie in as tails, or bunch wings.

I like it.

[This message has been edited by mickporter (edited 30 December 2005).]

12

Just as an addon to my previous if this is of interest, here is part of what it says on the back of the spey hackle packet:

With Heron feathers illegal to use, and Spey Cock essentially extinct, and their various substitutes being just that - substitutes, Whiting Farms set out to creat feathers for Spey, Dee and Salmon Flies on a chicken that were not only as good as Heron or Spey Cock, but hopefully superior. So in the mid 1990’s Tom Whiting, founder and owner of Whiting Farms, embarked on creating a unique line of fowl good enough to completely replace and hopefully even improve upon, Heron and Spey Cock feathers. Instigating a number of genetic avenures, development proceeded towards a “genetic” Spey Hackle, which then became available after about 5 years of initial selection work. Feather characteristics sought included long, substantial barbs, absence of any webbing between the barbs, non brittleness of the entire feather and excellent density for good value. In addition to a pure white, which is ideal for dying, an array of other colours and patterns would be available to encourage the inherent creativity of fly tyers. A very wide range of feather sizes will also be available for these “genetic” Spey hackle chickens, thus allowing an even wider range of flies to be tied.

They are available in Cock Capes, Cock Saddles, Hen Capes and Hen saddles. Also some Cock Breast pelts with Chickabou.

Mine is a cock cape.

13

I also thought the spey hackle has a hair like feel that might be better used for something other than spey flies.