Purple and Snipe

WhiskeyCreek — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:28:38 +0000

Here is another classic soft hackle fly pattern, the purple and snipe. Tying the purple and snipe is similar to the yellow and partridge. This video adds a demonstration of taking a covert feather from a wing.

Soft Hackle Materials

WhiskeyCreek — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:08:12 +0000

Lets start with the hackles, where these fly patterns get their name. Most soft hackles are tied with game bird skins, like partridge, pheasant, quail, or starling. The individual fibers of these feathers are much more flexible and “bendy” than rooster hackles. This allows the soft hackles to move while being fish. Many believe the secret to soft hackle success is this movement, which suggests life.

You may see packages of loose soft hackles in the fly shop. Avoid these. These packages are the left overs after the best feathers have been used. The package may seem to be a bargin, but in the long run Its better to purchase the full skin, you get the best feathers and the skin itself stores the feathers sorted by size and color.

These packages are useful for providing legs on nymphs, and the very casual soft hackle tier.

Buy the skin.

Partridge is my favorite, each skin has tons of feathers, which are also useful for caddis dry fly wings (spent partridge pattern, for example).

Starling is another popular bird for creating soft hackles. The starling feathers are small, dark, and iridescent. Very useful for tying down to size 20.

From the bottom, Hen backs are available and these are relatively inexpensive. They are available in a few colors and useful to tie larger sizes of soft hackle patterns (size 14 and larger, from my experience)

The top-most wing is a coot substitute. Several of the classic patterns call for coot feathers.

The wing in the middle is snipe substitute. The purple and snipe is a classic pattern.

Its not legal to sell coot and snipe skins, so the fly shops sell substitutes, bird parts that are similar, but legal.

Quail (on the left), and Ruffled Grouse are two other birds that are used. Pheasant call also be used.

These can be used instead of partridge, if you don’t have a partridge skin.

Sources

I like to always check my local fly shop first before ordering online. Its usually the same price. You can touch and feel the material. Compare several skins and choose the one that looks best to you, look at coloration and for tears and flaws in the skin (many of these are hunted, so shotguns and dogs are part of the processing).

Your local fly shop is an outstanding resource for tying materials, information, and supporters for fly fishing in your area. Give them business if you can.

My local fly shop, though, doesn’t stock many soft hackle materials, so I also shop online. Most of the online fly tying merchants carry the most popular materials (hen backs, partridge, and maybe starling skins). Here are a few web sites that specialize in soft hackles these materials:

If you have a favorite supplier, please leave a comment. I’ll update this list (and give them a little business).

Whiskey Creek Fly Fishing » Snipe

Purple and Snipe

Soft Hackle Materials