Hackle problems

[Neil Owens]

So I'm off to Wales and they said to bring some 'high float indicators. So I had a go at TZ's Klinks:-



Tying the dubbing 'down' then reinforcing up with thread 'back up' is brilliant - I get just the right amount of 'fuzziness' even with what I find hard to dub materials, like seals fur. But fuzzy is good as the fish seem to love them. As is longevity, especially given the speed I tie.

Anyway, I'm having trouble with the hackle on them. I've tried short and long posts and just about every time the hackle turns into a half moon of fluff and doesn't stay 'flat' What am I doing wrong?

[t.z.]

For making it a tying competition type of hackle you start to low on the post I guess to. Anyways, that one looks very nice to me. I wouldn´t care so much about the perfect hackle. Scruffy is good.

It also is depending on the hackle one uses. Some feathers have thick stems (Keogh) and and up looking more chaotic than the ones with thin stems (Metz, Whiting).

I see you took a pic of a rather small fly. Not ethat most of the tying vids / pics are done using much larger hooks.

I wonder if you understood the "peacock herl collar trick" I use to trap the hackle so it does not slide up the wingpost?

Try a white russian or two before and than tie few more ;-)

[Viking Lars]

I always bunch up the post with thread, and tie the hackle up the post, so that when I wind, I wind down the post. Also, make sure that the first half turn of hackle is completely free of barbules. That ensures that the stem doesn't twist and send hacklefibres is all sort of different directions.

Lars

[t.z.]

Yes Lars, this is how it´s shown in the video / step by step Neil is referring to.

Another trick is to take off the feather fibres on one side of the feather. Not all, just the first few so starting the hackle is a tad easier. The ones sticking upwards are of the those of the "opposite" side away from the tier.

like here ...

[Neil Owens]

I'm getting better but my peacock herl is rubbish - it's tiny. I may try a different dubbing instead.

[Neil Owens]

Mmmm - quite nice with what looked like lurid dyed fur in the packet.

[t.z.]

looking good Neil. That´s a lot of hackle too --- you might get away with lesser turns, which looks better on pictures, however - your tie looks very fishable.