The types of cape which you will come across are cock and hen capes from domestic poultry.
Hen capes are smaller and softer with denser fibres , and are usually used for wet flies , nymphs and lures. The hackle fibres are more mobile in the water. They can be wrapped around the hook in the conventional way or bearded , sometimes referred to as a false hackle.
Cock capes are larger and the hackles much stiffer and shiny. Occasionally you will come across a cock cape which is softer and duller , usually a lower grade cape , these are known as henny capes. These are very useful for lures or palmered patterns which need to be longer and give some kick to the lure. Cock capes are used mainly for dry flies , the stiffer fibres make the fly float better and are wound round the hook more times. Matching fibres can be used for the tail of the fly.
The standard capes are usually available in a wide range of natural and dyed colours. They are graded , number one being the best , and most expensive. These are not necessary until you become proficient , ( and have a big fat wallet ). Lower grades catch just as many fish. Most of these capes are now imported from India and China.
There are ranges of capes which are from poultry specially bred in the United Kingdom, just for their feathers. The range of Metz capes is probably the best known. These have nice long hackles and are great to work with but are expensive. They are used mainly for dry flies. You should get more than one fly per hackle.
Hackles for north country spider patterns are usually from wild birds , many of which are now more difficult to obtain. Partridge hackles , brown and grey , are probably the best known and dye well. Others to look out for are woodcock , snipe , moorhen , cock and hen pheasants. If you know any shooting people ask for their help as many of them fish as well. If they do a lot of wildfowling , ( shooting ducks and geese ) they could help to get you CDC , teal flank and bronze mallard flank ………. all very useful. This range in itself would be an interesting lesson to put together.
Once you start collecting fly tying materials no walk along the river , or lakeside will ever be the same again. You will find yourself gathering feathers and anything else which ‘ just might be useful’ . On a recent trip my colleague could not believe I was collecting sheep’s wool off the barbed wire. Now that it has been washed in detergent in boiling water it will be dyed.
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A great article,
just one question,
If you are doing a palmered hackle should you tie it in at the head of the fly or the end of the fly?
They have been a bit if a disaster since I started tying.
Kyle.
thanks for that important info on those capes, i have recently started to keep an breed , pure bred poultry so maybe i b able to supply the uk fly fishing/tying fraternity wit some cheaper capes. , mainly cock ones. any further info please feel free to e mail me many thanks again .thou all my capes will be of the natural colour,. , i can also supply single packets of different coloured hackles . theses capes an hackles are all from my own chickens, roosters,pigeons,and pheasant . hope this helps…many thanks
Hi Dave,
I just discovered your videos and website, and I really enjoy them! I also only just discovered fly tying a couple of months ago, so I’m a rookie at 52!
Here’s my question: In discussing “found feathers” that are useful for flies, I wondered if there is any use for seagull feathers. I work at a beach conservation area in the summer, and if these were useful, I would be a happy man!
Thanks,
Hugh
hi I’ve been fly tying for about a year and im only 12 but I was wondering where do you get your materials from
Hi Myron
I have been accumulating materials for the last 65 yrs. These days you will find you have to buy from fishing shops that specialise in fly fishing. If you are lucky enough to know someone who shoots you might be able to acquire game bird feathers ie. cock/ hen pheasant/ magpie tail feathers. Not to mention possibly jay wing feathers( blue black barred). However more and more of the modern dressings come from synthetic materials which are obtainable from shops. I buy threads, wires, braids, marabou and rabbit from Steve Parton spartonfly@btconnect.com. He is very helpful a brilliant fly fisher and a comedian.There are several mail order
ie. Tightlines, Glasgow angling centre, not forgetting e-bay.
When out fishing you will find heron, goose and assorted quills on the river/lake banks.
Hope this helps
Happy Fishing
DaveC.and the Team
hallo dave i am 14 and fish a local river in clackmananshire scotland called the river devon what i mostly catch down their is brown trout parr but in no their is a lot of fish down their exeding 10lbs and i need a fly called the black spider to have any chance of catching one can you make a video showing me how to tie this fly thanks
Hi everyone i am Mason Sims i am a fly tier and avid fly fisherman over here in Georgia,USA .I love your fly tying videos Dave and have learned a lot from them.I have been fly fishing all over the U.S.and was wondering what the best streams are in Europe?
If anyone who sees this comment who would love to talk fly fishing any time i would love to finally find a true young fly fisherman
As a friend.
Hi Dave,
Any suggested fly patterns for Grouse wings? Favorite brother-in-law brought back 4 wings from hunting.
@ Esther – A good fly that uses grouse wings is the Grouse and Green (do a Google search for this pattern). It is a very effective traditional pattern for Brown Trout, however I am sure it would catch rainbows as well. As far as I know, the Grouse wing is good for using on sedge imitators.
@ alexander joss – Alexander, there are loads of spider patterns that you can try. The spiders are best tied sparse for the rivers, and you will probably have more success in the smaller sizes. Klinkhammers should be good as well. Dave used to have a video of the Black and Peacock Spider which is a simple pattern. The Black Pennel is a good pattern for stillwaters, however I have never tried it river fishing.
Hi Astroman
thanks for sharing your knowledge with others. I will try and catch up on my letters…..it has just been too cold to venture into the bunker and switch the computer on.
Happy Fishing
DaveC.and the Team
Hi Esther
Sorry to be so long in responding to your question……..My ‘bunker’ is like a deep freeze at the moment ,computing and fly tying not on the agenda.
Over the years the ‘Grouse series’ has wained in popularity. The old traditional patterns used the tail feathers for winging and varying the colour of the body and hackle, most of which are rarely used now. I have just had a rummage thro my boxes to find a grouse wing without success. If you fly fish the rivers, which I did when I was a lad up North, spider patterns are still popular. We used to tie a grouse and orange with some success….body orange or claret thread and a hackle from the upper side of the elbow of the wing . I seem to recall using the hackle from the under wing elbow with a yellow body but the same feather from a snipe wing was more popular.
If you fish stillwaters you might just be surprised how well north country spider patterns will do in place of buzzers.
Hope this helps
DaveC and the Team.
Dear David
a small Xmas thank you from everyone self included who you have taught and inspired to tie over the years.
Was glad to hear from the inimitable Mr Parton that you are out and about. We can’t wait for the bunker to defrost and for you to get back in front of the camera
seasons greetings and wishing you a better 2011
What birds do you get hackles from?
Hi Bob,
You might ask how long is a length of string, but I digress.
For spider and wet fly patterns tied on small hooks try the following.
Waterhen(coot), Woodcock, Snipe,Starling,under and over wing at elbow.
Partridge, brown from the back, grey from the breast. Grouse tail feathers, Cock and hen pheasant tail feathers for bodies. Heron quill feathers natural dyed olive for bodies, peacock tail feathers for bodies.
Cock and hen capes in natural and dyed .
The list is endless I cannot resist collecting feathers whilst out in the country.
Happy Tying
Dave C and the Team.
Hi Steve Stern
Thanks for your good wishes. I am beginning to feel more like my old self now ( I am not sure if everyone will agree that is a good thing).
The responses to the lessons have been unbelievable and very humbling……all goes to indicate I was sent here to do something useful.
Happy New Year to You and yours.
DaveC. and the Team
hi dave can i take the cape from a cock pheasant and will this be any good for tieing flies .thanks
Hi Kevin
I imagine the cock pheasant cape which you would use would be the black/shiny one. I do use these feathers for spider patterns( orange silk body). I have always just plucked the feathers in an assortment of sizes and store them in a plastic bag.
Hapy Fishing
DaveC. and the Team
hi dave
i am geting a cock bantom what feathers should i keep off of him or
should i cure the cape on of him are the feathers good for tying flies thanks
Hi Kevin
Bantam capes are useful. If you are not experienced at curing your own cape i would suggest you carefully pluck all the neck feathers and store them in a sealable poly. bag. Curing capes and skins can be a messy job and not always appreciated by the ladies of the house. If you dont have your own space to do it just pluck the neck. The wing quills might be woth saving too. I will try to do a write up sometime on how to do it.
Hope this helps
Happy Fishing
DaveC. and the Team.
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