Soft Hackle Flies

Stuart DeWolfe wrote:

I am looking for a good Pattern book for Soft-Hackled Flies. I already have
the book Two Centuries of Soft-Hackled Flies by Sylvester Nemes but would
like yet another. If you know of any better I would appreciate your
suggestions. Thanks in advance.


Although soft hackles are great (and fun to fish) searching patterns, I
find myself using soft hackles more and more often on surface feeding
fish when I can't get them to take a dry or feel they are feeding on
emergers. For these match the hatch type soft hackles, I usually modify
a nymph pattern that is usually good for the given hatch.

I think there's lot of room for experimentation with soft hackles. Many of
the established patterns are old and were developed in England for the
hatches there. Not that that's bad, it's just that there aren't many
patterns
around developed to imitate American hatches.

Willi

"Willi & Sue" wrote

I think there's lot of room for experimentation with soft hackles. Many of
the established patterns are old and were developed in England for the
hatches there. Not that that's bad, it's just that there aren't many
patterns
around developed to imitate American hatches.



Nemes has a book, "Soft Hackle Imitations" ( I think is the title ) that
does some work along these lines. Borger and Hughes also mention soft
hackles fished for specific hatches

This is something with great potential, imho, and I, too, spend a lot of
time fishing soft hackle flies to rising fish. Indeed, I'd say that 90% of
the time a riser will take a soft hackle, IN the film, that comes close to
the size of the natural even if nothing else seems close to the naturals.
SHs
that were closely matched to the hatch would be damn deadly, indeed

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

Larry L wrote:

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably will
never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish we lived
close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from bug to bug.

If you've given up on Claves, then the chances of us getting together is
slim (unless you come to CO) because virtually all the fishing I do out of
State is at Claves or informal get togethers with people I've met at
Claves.
There are people from time to time who attend Claves from a distance.
They don't stay in the same places as the other people and they only
drop by
occasionally either to fish or to talk or .... Think they generally
feel welcome.
There are no rules or requirements but it's best if you don't act like TOO
much of an asshole.


This summer I walked down the hill from my trailer to the HFork nearly every
night to try slight variations of a "muskrat and partridge" size 18 on the
evening rise ... basically EVERY fish I could cover with a good drift and a
good "float" took ... but getting a float that lasted more than a single
fish or even a few casts without one is something I never achieved ....
exactly the kind of challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise,
over and over

I don't understand, if every fish took, why are you looking for a better
fly?

Willi

Willi & Sue wrote in
:

Larry L wrote:

Willi, I've given up on the idea of "claves" and such and probably
will never meet you, ... I'm too much of a loner ... but I sure wish
we lived close enough to compare notes on this, as a season went from
bug to bug.

If you've given up on Claves, then the chances of us getting together
is slim (unless you come to CO) because virtually all the fishing I do
out of State is at Claves or informal get togethers with people I've
met at Claves.
There are people from time to time who attend Claves from a distance.
... basically EVERY fish I
could cover with a good drift and a good "float" took ... but getting
a float that lasted more than a single fish or even a few casts
without one is something I never achieved .... exactly the kind of
challenge that drives one both nuts and back the vise, over and over

I don't understand, if every fish took, why are you looking for a
better fly?


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts. It doesn't parse well though ... but otoh
at least it on topic

Steve (carefully checking group ...)

"Stephen Welsh" wrote


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts.

yeah, what he said ...

"Larry L" wrote in news:ItZdd.733871
:


"Stephen Welsh" wrote


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts.

yeah, what he said ...



Have you tried Frog's Fanny?

Scott

"Scott Seidman" wrote



Have you tried Frog's Fanny?

yep, love it, the last time I bought some I got three bottles because the
time before that when I went looking all the stores were out .... don't
leave home without it


I also tried tying a bit of foam as a wing, and using a CDC underwing and
WaterShed and duck preen oil and .....

the plain old muskrat and partridge caught fish ... for a fish or two ...
all modifications were less appealing to the fish ...if the fly floats TOO
well, fish wouldn't take it ... has to be IN the film with just a barb or
two of partridge showing

the goal became to find a pattern/ floatant that worked very well, ala M&P,
but didn't require much maintanence Using more time maintaining than
fishing was obviously a problem at last light, surrounded by rising fish,
getting dark quick .... the elegant solution would fish with less hassle
than the M&P but be just as tasty looking to the prey

"Scott Seidman" wrote



Have you tried Frog's Fanny?

yep, love it, the last time I bought some I got three bottles because the
time before that when I went looking all the stores were out .... don't
leave home without it


I also tried tying a bit of foam as a wing, and using a CDC underwing and
WaterShed and duck preen oil and .....

the plain old muskrat and partridge caught fish ... for a fish or two ...
all modifications were less appealing to the fish ...if the fly floats TOO
well, fish wouldn't take it ... has to be IN the film with just a barb or
two of partridge showing

the goal became to find a pattern/ floatant that worked very well, ala M&P,
but didn't require much maintanence Using more time maintaining than
fishing was obviously a problem at last light, surrounded by rising fish,
getting dark quick .... the elegant solution would fish with less hassle
than the M&P but be just as tasty looking to the prey

"Larry L" wrote in news:ItZdd.733871
:


"Stephen Welsh" wrote


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts.

yeah, what he said ...



Have you tried Frog's Fanny?

Scott

"Stephen Welsh" wrote


I think they tend to be one fish flys i.e. don't sit in the film after
sliming or several drifts.

yeah, what he said ...