Palmered hackle flies have been popular from the early days of flytying and were a feature of many of the early salmon flies.
They still are popular with many of the traditional flies and are increasingly used on modern lures to impart movement on a fast retrieve, ie. Woolley buggers, Damsel nymphs and Yellow dancers.
There are two ways of tying in and securing the hackles on palmered flies. Both are equally effective and it comes down to personal choice.
- Method 1 – The Ribbing material is tied in at the tail end. The hackle is tied in by the but end at the head of the fly and wound down to the tail in open turns. The ribbing material is then wound from the tail to the head in open anticlockwise turns, securing the hackle, and tied off at the head. I personally feel that this is the more secure way.
- Method 2 – The hackle is tied in by the tip at the tail of the fly. The hackle is then wound in open turns to the head and tied off. The only benefit of this method is it saves weight on a dry fly.
Dave C. and the Team
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