"Larry L" wrote in message
...
Imagine a small ( size #20 standard length ) soft hackle, intended to be
fished when tiny little "black caddis" are on the water.

I'm looking for a feather for that hackle that will have barbules about
the
length of the #20 hook shank, maybe a tad more, but not too long, and an
almost black, flecked with greys, color.

All the soft hackle feathers I have ( partridge, grouse, quail ) are
either
too big, or more brown and lighter than what I want.

Anybody think of a bird ( available legally and easily ) that might have a
feather like I seek?


On a similar note, got a good technique to use "too big" SH feathers on
small hooks? The number of feathers that will hackle small hooks is
pretty
limited on most partridge skins.



Starling is the "Standard" answer here, however, any samll bird hackles will
work. Usually, the smaller the bird, the smaller the hackles.

If you are tying spider type flies, just tie the fibers in separately, you
don´t need more than six fibres. One may also tie "reverse". Tie the body,
when coming back up from the hook bend with the thread, stop the thread at a
point on the shank, which is equal to extra length of the feather you wish
to tie in.

Tie in your hackle here, but don´t tie it off. Take the thread behind the
hackle, and wind over the hackle until you reach the head. fold the hackle
back and spaly a little if required.

Lastly, you can also put the fibres in a dubbing loop.
TL
MC