|
Since before recorded history mankind has been
fashioning hooks and tying feathers onto them to attempt to fool
fish.
The use of exotic feathers became so intense that, in
the 19th century, whole species were decimated to
fill the addiction of fly tying feather addicts. Fortunately,
for the birds at least, in our time we have learned to raise the
birds that provide feathers for our modern addictions. The exotics have been,
for the most part, replaced by hybridized poultry, especially
chickens.
Late in the 20th
century a dedicated group of cultivators developed birds so
specialized as to breed for longer legs so that their feathers
will not be spoiled. These breeds have come from the
original hybrids of Harry Darbee to the fabulous production of
Dr. Tom Whiting in a small 50 to 60 years, and have transformed
chicken feathers into an art form. These birds are now bred for
exactingly specific fly tying purposes.
Saltwater Flies Need Different Feathers
Saltwater fly tying feathers have been somewhat of a
by-product. The flies tied by saltwater and bass fly tiers
require much different feathers than their fresh water trout and
salmon tying brethren. Since the focus of fly fishing during the
period of greatest development concentrated on the latter,
hybrid feathers developed for those purposes.
Along the way to those feathers ideal for a #22 Adams dry
fly, the hybrids went through a phase sublimely suited to a
style of salmon fly tying known loosely as the “Rangley Style”.
This style was originated for landlocked salmon and large trout
found throughout back wood lakes of Maine.
This style of fly is tied with large
chicken feathers; primarily the long webby feathers that grow
along the back of roosters termed “saddle hackle”. Saddle hackle
is soft and fluid in the water giving them the appearance of
fishlike movement, thus the reason they are so desirable for
patterns that imitate prey species. While originally for tied
for large trout and salmon, the style adapted to salt water very
easily in the form of what is now “Lefty’s Deceiver” and
patterns like it.
It is easy to see where we are going. The soft, webby
feathers brilliantly dyed in
|
a rainbow of colors by Whiting Farms
in their “American Hackle” series, are perfect for soft flowing
imitations of baitfish. Since almost all of the original hybrid
stock came from common origins, other breeders do a fine job and
the feathers produced are so specialized that different breeders
produce feathers specific for certain fly patterns.
So far we have only talked about saddle hackle…well what
about the rest of the chicken?
Remember our discussion of the development drive to produce
the ideal dry fly feather; these feathers are located on the
back of the neck of the rooster.
As the breeders went past the feathers we use for baitfish
imitations they also came up with the ideal stiff, springy
feather we use for splayed tails on Keys Style tarpon flies as
well as any other place you need a thin, firm, well shaped
feather to move a lot of water such as a palmered collar.
These are the two feathers we use primarily in saltwater, and
for that matter, for bass flies as well. First the soft, webby,
free flowing saddle hackle used to give the illusion of a
baitfish swimming. The other is the neck hackle, stiff, narrow,
and well defined used for the springy qualities we see in
splayed tail tarpon flies.
The good thing is that since saltwater necks and saddles are
essentially by products and are considerably easier to rise,
they are very affordable. A fine dry fly cape (neck hackle) can
bring more than $100 but the top grades of saltwater capes are
around $20 and salt saddles are even less…lucky us who tie
saltwater flies.
This still leaves a lot of feathers on the rooster and we
have not even mentioned the hen hackle and body feathers. We
will discuss the differences of these feathers and their
specific uses in another article.
So now when you pick up a fine neck or a saddle, think about
the long dedicated work of people like Harry Darby,
Andy Miner, Bill Keough, Charlie Collins, Ted Hebert, Henry
Hoffman, Doug Ewing, and Dr. Tom Whiting. We
dedicated feather addicts owe these innovators a huge debt of
gratitude, and while some birds give their all for our lovely
imitations, no exotic species will vanish due to our addiction. |
