wabbitswayer
Junior Member
Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
Posts: 69
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Post by wabbitswayer on Mar 17, 2004 9:53:53 GMT -5
Well, I think the Mr. is gonna start tying flies. Hitch is, I don't know really what kind of birds are the best.
I was in Cabela's in KS City just last weekend and well, they have a whole section just for fly fisherman now and they are selling complete hackles, saddles, and tail feathers of chickens in natural and very unnatural colors. Someone is raising those chickens as they were not packaged commercially, you know the special packaging that only big commericial places do? Anyway, I think fly fishing is about to take off again. They had all sorts of stuff from the same company, leather scraps, deer tails of all colors, bird feathers of all types, the string, the metal, and all sorts of stuff. Anyway, I don't know what kind of chickens that are really used for this particular kind of project (although McMurray now sells a fly tyers combo of chicks...). I would like to know from those that do this very thing. If you would like to PM me, that's fine. Those hackles that I saw up there were REALLY long! The natural colored ones were buff, gray, and a blue color.
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Post by Kickingbird on Mar 17, 2004 10:02:15 GMT -5
The chickens used for fly tying have some special attributes to their feathers. The feathers are long, thin, web-free, and have high barb counts to make full hackled flies. The birds have been bred for almost 100 yrs to get the feathers this way and they are held by less than 20 breeders here in the states. I'll post some links to articles that will give you a better idea of the history of the fly tying hackle birds.
On the other hand depending on what type of flies he wants to tie you can raise some hackle yourself that is more than sufficient for what he wants to do.
I have to go to class but I'll get back to this later tonight.
KB
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wabbitswayer
Junior Member
Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.
Posts: 69
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Post by wabbitswayer on Mar 17, 2004 10:39:13 GMT -5
Like I said, McMurray is selling an "assortment" that includes breeds that are actually pretty common, I think.
Here's the info they have on the breeds they are selling:
This Special includes at least some of each of the following: Barred Rocks for the Grizzlies; Blue Andalusians for the Duns; at least 4 Silver Penciled Rocks or Wyandottes (straight run since we don’t sex these) for the Badgers; a Buff, Brown, or Red hackle breed for variety and experimentation.
Any thoughts or opinions on this?
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Post by Kickingbird on Mar 17, 2004 13:40:02 GMT -5
Yep (of course I have an opinion, I have an opinion on everything...LOL ) These are just your normal, average, everyday, hatchery chickens. Most of them, except for the fancy birds, will be sexed roosters that they can't get rid of any other way. Realy to say they are "fly tying chickens" is false. It would be true however to say "these are chickens you can tie SOME flies with". The feathers, in general, will be short, wide, and webby. Although the colors will be as stated. They will be good for tying large wet flies, bass buggs, and salt water flies. But you will be hard pressed to tie any drys under about a size 10 or 12. They may suit you well depending on what type of flies you husband decides to tie. Here is a link to a great article about the production of hackle. Not all of the hackle breeders are listed so keep that in mind. www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/sshackle/KB
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Post by stanscrbirds on Mar 17, 2004 22:44:22 GMT -5
If your looking for the dry fly quality feather, send me a private email with your address and I might be able to send you out a sample pack. For you to try. But I will warn you if he ties with these he won't want to go back to inferior goods.
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