![]() Obviously, tyers want feathers with the right combination of fiber length and fiber stiffness – and they want as much of that combination as possible. Which is best? That depends on the pattern, and tying instructions usually note specific guidelines. Different fiber lengths yield different looks in the finished fly. How long do the fibers of a hackle feather need to be? Generally speaking, the fibers of a hackle feather should have a length approximately 1 to 1.5 times the gape of the hook. Tip: The end of the feather opposite the butt.Butt: The end of the feather that attached to the bird.For wet (subsurface) flies like our Woolly Worm, a softer fiber is better since it will have more lifelike action in the water For dry (floating) flies, the fibers should be stiff. Fibers: Sometimes called “barbs,” these are the individual fiber-like parts of the feather that extend out from the stem.Stem: The stem of a feather is the central shaft from which the feather’s fibers extend.There are many others, but these four will cover us for now: Before we go further, let’s take moment to look at four key feather-related terms. Clearly, different types of hackle serve different purposes on different flies. In other cases (for example, on a subsurface fly like our current Woolly Worm) a feather with softer fibers may be preferred for better underwater action. For example, a hackle feather with stiff fibers is wrapped around part of the body of a dry (floating) fly to create the familiar hackle collar seen on patterns such as the Adams or the Royal Coachman. “Hackle” is the term applied to feathers which are wrapped so that the feather fibers stand out from the body of the fly. Wrapping the hackle feather What is hackle?.In addition to the techniques we have used previously, we’ll be adding four new ones here: (NOTE: If you order this kit from, mention that it’s for the Fly Life tying series, and I’ll make sure that there’s some extra material in there for you!). It includes materials not just for this fly but also for the next several flies we will be tying in this series. You might also want to order Chattahoochee Media’s Tie It & Try It Woolly Bugger Kit. Hackle: Suitable “woolly-style” hackle feather in green, black, brown, red, or (my favorite) “grizzly” Your local fly shop should have all of these materials. Hook: Size 8 2XL “woolly bugger” style hookīody: Green or olive chenille (for this fly use regular thread-core chenille and not “ultra” chenille of the type used to tie flies such as San Juan Worms) In addition to your basic fly tying tools, here’s what you’ll need to tie this fly The result will be a classic pattern called the Woolly Worm, and it’s a fly that I think you’ll enjoy tying and fishing. However, we can make it much better by the simple expedient of adding some hackle to it – and that’s what we’ll do this time. Congratulations on those new skills! You’ll use them over and over as you continue to explore the world of fly tying! That basic caterpillar is an effective fly. You’ve mastered the art of preparing and tying in chenille, and you’ve learned how to tie in a second material (in that case, red yarn for the fly’s tail). Add hackle to tie the Woolly Worm! By this point, you’re probably getting comfortable with the basic tying skills needed to tie the Enhanced Chenille Caterpillar.
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