Soft Hackle

[R-dub]

I would like a bit of advice on tying a spider pattern. Like whats the best material for a soft hackle? Ive tried mallard flank. picked up some strung guinea and a small feather called "gadwell barred flank" dont know havent tried it for hackle but it looks real cool. With the mallard should I tie in the tip or strip the feathers mid section and tie in from there? Also My fly tends to have a lot of hackle extending twice the length of the hook shank. It seems like a tuff fly to tie for me. Thanks in advance...........

[halcyon]

I would like a bit of advice on tying a spider pattern. Like whats the best material for a soft hackle? Ive tried mallard flank. picked up some strung guinea and a small feather called "gadwell barred flank" dont know havent tried it for hackle but it looks real cool. With the mallard should I tie in the tip or strip the feathers mid section and tie in from there? Also My fly tends to have a lot of hackle extending twice the length of the hook shank. It seems like a tuff fly to tie for me. Thanks in advance...........

The most common hackle material for traditional spiders in the US is Hungarian Partridge. Purchase a whole skin so you have a complete range of sizes in both the gray and brown toned feathers. In most patterns the hackle is no longer than the hook and usually shorter. The small sizes you need may be found around the neck, and shoulders as well as the inner and outer coverts which are the part of the wing that is equivalent to our upper arms along the front edges on top and bottom of the wing.

There is an excellent tutorial on how to tie in softhackle (spider) hackles located here: http://www.danica.com/flytier/steps/poe/poe.htm

Regards,

[R-dub]

Hey thanks halcyon, that link showed me what I needed . I was using a whole feather instead of half, thanks

[Les Johnson]

Also, pheasant rump, chukar, California quail and blue grouse. Soft Hackles (Spiders) are outstanding as pre-emerging mayflies (rivers) and damsel and dragonfly imitations (lakes). Although not often reported to be a hotspot for soft hackle fly design, Washington tiers have been building them since the 1930s.
Good Tying,
Les Johnson

[Mike Etgen]

I'm glad halycon supplied that link - I have it bookmarked also and that method has dramatically changed my spiders and other soft-hackles for the better. Makes for much neater heads. Beyond that, I'll have to say that I enjoy tying soft-hackle patterns about as much as anything and they do work in a surprising number of applications. Recently I've had unexpected (to me) success using them for sea-run cutthroats (and even a pretty nice silver).

Good luck.

[Preston]

Mike Kinney's Reversed Spider, originally developed for sea-run cutthroat in fresh water, is a killer for sea-run-cutthroat and coho in salt water as well. A very similar tying technique was shown by Swisher (Caddis Super-Hatches) as a swimming caddis pupa imitation.

[toddsbernina]

On than reversed spider do you tie in the mallard flank feather that cover the eye then the tail then the chinelle?

[Preston]

Yes, if you'll do a search, I believe I described the process as well as posting a series of step-by-step pictures. The hackle goes on first, tied in by the tip, then the tail and then the body which is whip-finished right in front of the tail.