Winter has set in and as I type this it's snowing to beat the band. The flakes look to be the size of a baseball. For the last week it has been cold, almost to cold to fish. I ventured out twice last week once with good fortune and once with not such good fortune. Those stories will come later, for now it's fly tying. Restocking fly boxes and tying some featherwing streamers has kept me busy. I have also looking a various forums and sites for ideas and inspirations. I stumbled onto one that talked about soft hackle dry flies, now that's something I had to check into further. I searched a little more and found an English tyer who ties these flies. Once I had a plan on how to put these together I gave them a shot.
These are pretty easy to tie and they do look quite "insectly". Not a lot of materials are needed. Dry fly hooks, thread, Coq de Leon, feathers for the tail, brown rooster hackle, or any color hackle you prefer, and partridge hackle.
The stiff rooster hackle keeps the fly afloat and the soft partridge hackles move in the current showing the fish this bug is alive. I have not field tested these flies yet but I will do so the very first chance I can.
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| Wet tested |
I tested the float of these flies in my sink. They floated well with the soft hackles moving life like. I think some floatant just on the cock hackle very sparingly will work perfect.
Wow, those are awesome!
ReplyDeleteJust thought of something, you could fish them Hornberg style. Dry for as long as it floats and if it gets waterlogged, just fish it wet. Very versatile.
DeleteApache Trout,
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John,
That's the idea. Now if the weather would be in a nice way I could try it.
Very nicely done, looking forward to reports on how they fare.
ReplyDeleteJohn Wooldridge,
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John I would love to give a report on these flies. Now if winter would get out of the way I'd give it a go.
What AT said!! You tie gogeous flies, as I stated on an earlier post, works of art!!!
ReplyDeleteTROUTI,
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Pete you'll have to test a few for me.
Looks great! I like the thought behind it, innovative yet simple.
ReplyDeleteAtlas,
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I'll have to locate the site where I found these. It's an English fly.
Alan
ReplyDeleteSoft hackle dry fly, very interesting and fishy looking, I have a feeling this pattern would nail the bows on our tailrace here. What size are those? Have you dropped one in a sink of water to see how it floats? Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell,
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I too believe they will take fish. These are size 14. I just tested them Bill and they float well.
Alan, like all the other guys here, I can buy into that concept. Interesting how something that is simple seems to have been so long in coming forth. I suppose though that we all have a favorite pattern that we fish dry and fish back somewhat submerged. I will await your reviews on fishing them.
ReplyDeleteMel,
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Mel I can't wait to test them. Winter is getting in the way.
Think they'll do you really well, looks like a fly we call a gingler
ReplyDeleteCol,
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That's the name. I saw it in use on a site and it worked real well.
Hope to try it.
http://northcountryangler.blogspot.com/2012/04/not-wanting-to-sound-like-broken-record.html
ReplyDeletessj,
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I just checked it out and that's the fly. Thank you for the link.
Very interesting concept. Looking forward to the field test. Our water has turned hard here in CLE so its pond hockey season for the time being.
ReplyDeletetim,
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The weather here has pretty much shut the fishing down. You enjoy your hockey.
Very nice ties...I don't fish soft hackles as much as I used too , but they were always a very reliable producer anytime fish were feeding within a foot or two of the surface , regardless of the insect involved.
ReplyDeleteHighPlainsFlyFisher,
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Jeff your right soft hackles represent food, and that's all that's needed.
We fly fishers always try to complicate something that's simple.
As another commentor has pointed out that is very similar to a recent Scottish pattern called a jingler. They have definitely earned their spot in my fly box, early season they are unbeatable when the big upwings are hatching. I have found they fish better if you use cheap chinese or indian capes rather than genetic. I think the cheaper hackles are less stiff and add to the movement factor, also being less prone to spinning on the cast. Another variation worth trying is a few fig 8 turns around the hackle to pull it up (similar effect to clipping the underside) to make it sit lower.
DeleteDan
Dan Price,
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Some worthy tips there. I believe when I actually fish the fly I will trim the hackle on the underside.
Yes! The Jonathan Barnes soft hackle dry fly! I'm not sure he's the originator, but he's responsible for most information you'll find on the web. Well let me tell you I've used these flies with great success, and yesterday caught a 17 inch brown on one. I tie mine with a cdc wing, as you'll see john do. I have march brown, sulphur, and BWO variants and they are becoming one of my "go to" patterns due to their success. Tie some up!
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