Fly Tying Techniques: Hungarian Partridge Feathers

[@robertjerome1889]

Great lesson. I've been tying about 10 yrs now 74. Learned basics tying with a saltwater tying group in Fl. ha..I now only tie fresh water and taught myself everything. Being a disabled vetern with ptsd I struggle to stay focused on ony one fly very long,so I'm always jumping from one pattern to another. My wife and I fly out west to Co. Every fall fishing. Spending my kids inheritance.

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for taking a moment to comment, Robert, and even more so, thank you for your sacrifice to our country. If you ever have tying or fly fishing questions, please email me: [e-mail] Thanks again. Tim

[@mikekuczynski1552]

Tied soft hackles 30 years ago very effective. Forgot about them and as many of us do tied tons of other stuff . Three years ago started tying them again for both nymphing and swinging . They just work so well , it’s funny how some things just seem to come back and we really don’t know why we let them go in the first place . Like you I like to strip one side of the partridge feathers especially on size # 12 and smaller bigger flies especially for swinging I use both sides . Good video

[@davidhughes2622]

Hi from Kansas City 🌆🤠 Dave Hughes. I really appreciate you getting this video on the air. Very good fly and your message was quite proper and throughout. I also liked the one half of the barbles removed. I've been trying this with pheasant church windows , don't quite have it right yet but still working on it. Thanks again for the help Dave Hughes.🎣🤠

[@RonMTube]

Great video. Nice see techniques being taught instead of just specific fly patterns. My fly fishing started with tenkara so Hungarian partridge is near and dear to my heart.

[@TimCammisa]

+Ron Mehringer Thanks for the kind words, Ron, and Tenkara is something I've yet to try. Is there a specific water type where you prefer that method? TC

[@RonMTube]

+Tim Cammisa , tenkara is mostly a small stream technique but I also use it sometimes for sight fishing on lakes. Caught a nice smallmouth this Spring on a large lake.

[@TimCammisa]

+Ron Mehringer Sounds like a perfect place to use it...thanks!

[@flytime5]

Tim, great video. There is such a need for more of these kind of videos that show the selection of materials, why you choose one material over another. One topic would be the different types of capes, rooster vs hen, saddle vs neck, and what your looking for when your buying feathers. Again, great video, looking forward to more.

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks, William, and those are some great ideas. I really appreciate them, and your kind comments. Tim

[@kenb4685]

Gidday Tim. Lots of helpful stuff. I dont yet have any hungarian partridge so this helps a great deal. Thanks.

[@TimCammisa]

You're welcome, Ken, and if you need recommendations on places to buy some, shoot me an email: [e-mail] Tim

[@Ghosthawk332nd]

Greetings from Fargo ND! Great video. Just recently invested in my first Hun skin. I used to hunt them, now I'm crying at all the feathers I wasted.

[@octavianstan2009]

Great video, thanks. I also use one side of the breast feather but, when I tie soft hackles, I also use the stripped side of the feather. Those fibers will be removed with a thin strip of stem which, most of the time, will be enough to resist when wraped. It's tricky, doesn't work all time but it worth trying because, after all, wasteing less means more respect for this beautiful and delicate game bird. When tying that part of the feather, you gotta wrap it the opposite way. The stripped stem is very soft but if you mamage not to brake it, after securing it the way you showed us in the tutorial, it will be strong enough.

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the excellent comment and suggestion, Stan! The Hungarian Partridge is an incredible resource and needs to be treated accordingly. Tim

[@mychoice3368]

Really good yr.

[@gregs7568]

This video is Pure Gold! Thank you, Tim!!!

[@TimCammisa]

You're welcome, Greg, and glad you like it! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@dwilson5034]

Lots of good stuff here!! Thanks for putting this video together Tim!!

[@TimCammisa]

You got it, D; I appreciate the comments! Tim

[@seanmooney3907]

Hey Tim, I did get the stonfo clip. I do love hungarian partridge. I have natural, olive, and ginger. I do tie spider patterns with just half a feather. I tend to use CDL for tailing as well. But I like the video. All the best, Sean

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks, Sean, and I appreciate the comments. Hope all is well with you and your wife, Tim

[@steveb7194]

I love your videos and look forward to each one. Great job on this one!

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks, Steve; that's kind of you to say, and I appreciate the comments. TC

[@MrBanjosteve]

Thanks Tim for the video. Really helps as a beginner. Your the man.

[@TimCammisa]

MrBanjosteve Thanks, Steve; I'm glad that I can help. Tim

[@mikewalters4994]

That was a good lesson Tim!!.. Thanks for sharing.

[@TimCammisa]

You're welcome, Mike, and thanks for the feedback! If you have any questions, shoot me an email: [e-mail] Thanks for taking a moment to comment. Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@kevinjtoner]

To Anthony Paine, I hope your recovery is quick and complete. Tight lines.....

[@nova78girl]

Very professional narration. Thanks.

[@TimCammisa]

+Laura Snyder Thanks, Laura; I appreciate the kind words! TIm

[@kevinjtoner]

Very nice video, Tim. Very informative, as usual. Also, I enjoyed reading the review of William Clark. He made some excellent points. I always look forward to your videos. Thank you......

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the feedback on the video and comments, Kevin; I really appreciate everything. Tim

[@mikehen06]

I have a whole bag of those from hunting. Always thought I’d try to tie a fly one day.

[@TimCammisa]

Definitely go for it, if you need a fly suggestion for them, let me know: [e-mail] Thanks! Tim

[@duderoony]

Another great video Tim. Thank you.

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@eyedoc83]

Video is very well done I enjoyed watching it.

[@TimCammisa]

Thank you for the kind words, and I hope to hear from you on some of my other videos. Tim

[@brucewhite1210]

Very clear instruction. Thank you.

[@TimCammisa]

You're welcome, Bruce, and thanks for taking a moment to say that. I hope to hear from you on some of my other videos! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@bretthumphries7911]

A bit late to the party, but very nice! I love the legs idea, thanks.

[@TimCammisa]

Late or not, you made it to the party, Brett! Thanks for leaving a comment and I hope all is well. Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@jeromefynaut8177]

Great information 👍Tim

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks so much, Jerome, truly appreciate the kind words! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@kenstaring6257]

Tim, Excellent video. Thank You

[@TimCammisa]

You're welcome, Ken, and I hope all is well! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@craigvandyke9298]

Great Video Sir. Thank you

[@TimCammisa]

Addicted to partridge feathers, too?!? ;-) I appreciate the kind words, Craig, and look forward to hearing from you on some other videos. Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@timhalley6987]

Nice video. As I have aged and developed more arthritis in my sausage fingers I find just getting my dubbing material appropriately adhered to the thread is an issue. Maybe a similar video on applying dubbing to thread and fly would be possible?

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the comments and idea, Tim...hope all is well! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@Cfrose1965]

How do you finish off the tying? Do you glue or knot?

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the comments, and I use both! For many flies, I will apply a light coat of super glue or head cement directly to the thread hanging from the hook, then use a hand whip finish, as show in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH-bnpSpoqekd8k If you have more questions, shoot me an email: [e-mail] Thanks! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@anablakp3200]

Awesome lessons. Is it hen or male? or does it matter?

[@TimCammisa]

Thank you for the kind words, and to be honest, I've never seen them labeled one way or another. For most soft hackle feather applications, I prefer hens, thus would recommend one if you have the option. Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@almsmine8205]

Hi Tim, thanks for making this video. Can we conclude that partridge really isn’t very suitable for dry flies, seeing as it absorbed water?

[@TimCammisa]

That's a great conclusion, but don't forget about it for emergers when you want them right in or below the surface. ;-) Tim

[@ghart91]

after you striped away the marabou from the partridge feather what could you us it for? Do you ever use it? Gary

[@TimCammisa]

Gary Hartung Thanks for the comment, Gary, and many others use that marabou for tailing, gills, and even wings. I've heard some others will mix it into a blend and use it for dubbing, too. The possibilities are endless if you're willing to collect it. I typically discard the partridge marabou because I prefer it in longer lengths and different colors. TC

[@davidhughes2622]

Hi from Kansas City 🎣🤠. With the copic spray system all the colors are available . love this tool.

[@RalphBellairs]

Tim, do you prefer Hungarian partridge over English partridge? I'm thinking of buying a skin and can't decide which would be the most useful. Thanks.

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the comment, David, and I prefer Hungarian partridge, though in my case it's due to convenience. The partridge skins are more readily available here, thus I'd probably give you the opposite answer if I hunted the English partridge. Have you used feathers from both skins? Which way are you leaning? Thanks again for the question. Tim

[@RalphBellairs]

Tim, up until now I have only purchased a small bag of English partridge feathers, but as my tying has progressed I was considering buying a whole skin as I have started tying North Country spiders using traditional silk thread. Here in the UK the choice is usually between English and French partridge - the French being slightly cheaper - £16 as opposed to £24. I think I'm going to buy a high grade English hen partridge skin though, as I have kinda got used to using those feathers and I'm pretty happy with the results so far. Thanks again.

[@TimCammisa]

Great choice, David, and if you can ever compare the two skins, let me know your thoughts. Thanks for the update! Tim

[@dennisrusk3599]

The less thread wraps the better the fly

[@louischampan3880]

Enjoyed this video, but the one thing you didn't explain was why you stripped the feather the way you did, on the top of the feather.

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the comment, Louis, and I'll try to answer that. Which part are you referring to? Can you give me a specific time in the video so I can check? Thanks again! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@louischampan3880]

Thanks Tim, it's at 11:54 into the video that you show the stripped feather you're going to use, but I like an explanation as to why it is stripped the way it is and why it is tied in the way it is. Thanks

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for getting back to me, Louis. I strip one side off because I prefer my soft hackles to have less barbules. The hackle fibers will move more in the water that way, plus I'll get more of that sparse "look". I also strip off the fibers from the bottom and tie the hackle in by its tip because the barbules are shorter there, thus they won't extend too far down the shank of the hook. Does that make sense? If not, don't hesitate to shoot me an email: [e-mail] Here's a video of me tying a soft hackle, which may help to make more sense: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4HOlaCXo51nosU Thanks again, Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@jamesormston8075]

The school of Michael Theakston

[@TimCammisa]

Thanks for the comment, James. Do you have any resources re: Michael Theakston? Thanks! Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@jamesormston8075]

@@TimCammisa yes of course. A List Of Natural Flies That Are Taken By Trout, Grayling, & Smelt, In The Streams Of Ripon by Michael Theakston from the late 19th century. I actually am friendly with the present theakston family and fish the Ure river using north country spiders in north yorkshire. His book is a good read

[@komando8365]

Using the grey feather for soft hackles should be punishable by caning! Big no no. Dye them to a brown shade.

[@TimCammisa]

Ha ha, well that's a little harsh, Eric, but thanks for sharing your opinion. I prefer mottled feathers over a straight color when at all possible, regardless of the shade. Brown is slightly more realistic, though the gray mottling gives a nice contrast that may appear more lifelike, especially in moving water. If you ever want to shade some of mine for me, just let me know. ;-) Thanks again for taking a moment to comment. Tim www.troutandfeather.com

[@komando8365]

Oh I wasn't directing that you! Just what I prefer to tie with. Tim, if you ever want to dye your grey feather brown... make up a cup of super strong coffee. Like 10 healthy scoops for a cup. Wind up some wire around the stems of the feathers and soak them for an hour. Throw in a splash of vinegar and microwave for about 30 secs. Beautiful brown partridge.

[@TimCammisa]

Sounds awesome, Eric, and I appreciate the recipe! I just don't want others throwing away gray shades if they aren't comfortable with dyeing them...they can send them to me. ;-) Thanks again! Tim