Fly Fishing & Tying

equipment
knots
casting
stream etiquette
finding fish
fly selection
fly tying

Tying quick links

Tying tools
Parts of a hook
Attaching to the vise
Attaching the thread
Attaching the tail
Attaching the body
Attaching the wet hackle
Finishing the fly

Fly Tying - Wet Hackle

[ tools ] [ Parts of a hook ] [ Attaching to the vise ] [ Attaching thread ]
[ Attaching tail ] [ Attaching body ] [ Attaching wet hackle ] [ Finishing the fly ]

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.

[ tools ] [ Parts of a hook ] [ Attaching to the vise ] [ Attaching thread ]
[ Attaching tail ] [ Attaching body ] [ Attaching wet hackle ] [ Finishing the fly ]