Wet hackle – 1
- Select a hen hackle. Grasp the feather by the tip using the fingers of one hand. The butt is the thicker end that was attached to the cape.
Wet hackle – 2
- Use your other hand to stroke the hackle towards the stem (butt end of the feather), leaving a “V”.
Wet hackle – 3
- You will attach the prepared hen feather using the same technique used to attach the peacock herl body.
- Tie the tip end of the feather so the “V” sits right in front of the body.
- Slip off the excess material from the tip of the feather.
Wet hackle – 4
- Move the thread right up behind the eye of the hook.
Wet hackle – 5
- Gently brush all the fibers so they point to the same side of the quill. It may help if you moisten your fingers.
Wet hackle – 6
- Wrap 3 or 4 turns of hackle around the hook. Carefully brush back the fibers as you wind the feather around the hook so you don’t crush them under each new layer.
- The wraps should be kept very close together, with each successive wrap tight against the previous one.
Wet hackle – 7
- Tie off the hackle up near the eye (leaving a little space). Clip off any excess fibers.
Wet hackle – 8
- Gently brush back the hackle so they are leaning toward the back of the hook.
- You may optionally put 1 or 2 wraps of thread just barely back onto the hackle to force it to lie back over the body.