"How To Fish Soft Hackles" - Far Bank Fly Fishing School, Episode 10

Fly fishing with soft hackles (or "spiders", in the UK) is exceptionally easy to do, and the most forgiving of all river fly fishing techniques. Despite that there are some nuances and complexities that are essential to know in order to be consistently successful on the water.
Whether you're a first-time soft hackle angler, have been struggling to get eats when swinging soft hackles, or just need a few more tips to catch more, and bigger trout, this episode is for you.
In this episode we talk about what a soft hackle is, look at when and why you would fish a soft hackle, discuss the right equipment you will need for fishing a soft hackle, look at some great soft hackle rigs, discuss how to read the water and determine exactly where best to fish, look at the easy skill of swinging a soft hackle, and dive into the most technical and difficult of river trout fly fishing techniques, the upstream soft hackle.
At the end of this episode you will have learned all you need to become a highly successful soft hackle angler, gained an understanding of exactly when and where to fish soft hackles, how to set up your gear to maximize your time on the water, and the most effective approach for catching trout soft hackling.
#flyfishing #learntoflyfish #howtoflyfish
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
00:51 CH1 - What is a soft hackle
02:49 CH2 - When to fish a soft hackle
06:13 CH3 - What gear do you need
12:14 CH4 - Great soft hackle rigs
15:11 CH5 - Reading the water - where to fish a soft hackle
17:02 CH6 - Swinging a soft hackle
22:51 CH7 - Fishing a soft hackle upstream

[@eh3358]

This video was excellent. Thank You

[@FarBank]

Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for your kind comment.

[@Chrisowen1948Newbury]

These series of Far Bank videos are some of the best instructional fishing videos I have seen, thank you, tight lines

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting, we are glad you are enjoying them :)

[@user-pg2hu1lu6f]

Thanks Simon. Very informative.

[@FarBank]

Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for letting us know and for the comment :)

[@jtm7336]

This is the best video I have ever seen on fly fishing soft hackles!

[@FarBank]

Thanks :)

[@johngrove4915]

Excellent presentation. Thank you. I’ve been flyfishing for 65 years and still enjoy learning.

[@FarBank]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the comment :)

[@MrSofthackle]

Very well explained. I’ve fished soft hackles down and across but, I’ve always had issues fishing them upstream. Thanks for clearing that up.

[@FarBank]

Glad you liked the video, and thanks for comments. Your user name is very apt for this video in particular!! :)

[@matthadenmusic]

Excellent content, thank you.

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting - glad you enjoyed this...

[@toddoliver5679]

Awesome channel. Thanks

[@FarBank]

Glad you like it - thanks for commenting 😀

[@rogerthompson6851]

This is fantastic! Well done, Simon!! And if any of you ever get a chance to see or hear Simon in person, go! He's absolutely expert, and hilarious!!

[@richardhatton9520]

Really enjoyed this video, great info, thank you very much

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting - glad you enjoyed it

[@aaronwardsemail]

Very good info and I am looking forward to try this techniques. I especially like the message at the end!

[@FarBank]

Glad you enjoyed this episode - thanks for watching and for commenting, and good luck with this technique :)

[@kevinihintz]

Thanks for the learnings Simon , I was interested when you mentioned the Carey Special as being a good fly. I researched and then tied up a few.What a great fly , im guaranteed a fish everytime I fish it even though where I fish the browns are very spooky. Cheers Kevin , NZ

[@FarBank]

Ah, that Carey Special - we get a lot of comments about how good that fly is. Congrats on tying a few killer versions!

[@kansasscout4322]

I just stumbled upon you Simon. Good on you for setting out like this. I really appreciate your instruction. Long a favorite of mine. I'm on board!

[@kansasscout4322]

I'm going to incorporate this technique this coming week.

[@FarBank]

Thanks, so glad you are enjoying this series...

[@GhjantoFlyFishing]

another excellent video! glad you talked about the fishing technique upstream, so effective, but a little forgotten these days! in the crystalline rivers where I have been practicing this technique for forty years, a bit like sight nymphing ,it is the fish that I see rising, or that break the surface, which is my indicator ... I find that we should stop using the term "soft hackle" to define this wet fishing, because hard hackles(and other materials) are also very effective sub water with their vibrations ,as much as soft hackles are effective for dry flies ! but that's another debate ! again congratulations for your remarkable work! best regards Ghjanto

[@FarBank]

Great comments, thanks. Glad you like the upstream part too, that's our favorite way to fish them. Good point on the "hard" hackles - as you say, that is a good debate to be part of!

[@chasselynch5733]

Yes yesss swinging west is the best ,reminds me of trolling deep in lakes

[@grahamnicol5967]

Hello from the Scotsman in Osaka Japan. Brilliant videos .could you do a video on how to connect braided loop connectos to the flyline. much respect to you mate

[@FarBank]

Thanks for the comment - glad you enjoy the videos. Simon did make one for RIO - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHu1k2ecZrSAl9k&ab_channel=RIOProducts

[@paulatkinson4812]

Very enjoyable and informative.

[@cyguy8577]

This is AWESOME! I love swinging soft hackles and this has given me a lot to consider, well done Gazza!

[@FarBank]

So glad you enjoyed it... Is "Gazza" Simon?

[@onisgagan2481]

Excellent job as usual 👍🏻…

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting, glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[@oldsmugglerflyfishing]

Great video! With excellent information.

[@FarBank]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@sjohnson4882]

As a long time soft hackle angler, this is very good!

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting, and glad you enjoyed the video...

[@chelenthal]

I owe so much of my knowledge of flyfishing to you Simon! What a wonderful channel here! Subscribed!

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting, and glad you enjoyed the video. We'll pass on your comments to Simon directly, as he does like to know when someone enjoys his videos.

[@robinostby3337]

I'm just learning about soft hackle fishing Simon and you present this video like all your others, in an incredible manner. I don't tie my own flies and the fly shops I've called don't carry either the Carrey Special or a tan Sow bug. Any help on a good place to buy them and sizes would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much and keep the great videos coming, Kyle.

[@FarBank]

Hey Kyle, glad you liked the video and particularly that you are learning about soft hackles - we'll pass that on to Simon who will be stoked to hear that. As for the flies, you can find them here: farbank.com/collections/rio-freshwater-soft-hackles-flies-collection

[@soundbwoikilla764]

Great video and best overall information in one place! I mostly fish very small mountain streams for brook trout and I've been trying to learn ways to fish soft hackles upstream effectively as these streams are too small to swing in the traditional sense. Something about soft hackles brookies love. I will often fish a soft hackle 10-12" underneath a beadhead nymph with an indicator and have learned 2 things. As the beadhead tracks along the main current, the soft hackle will whip around and swing underneath rocks coaxing a fish tucked away to strike. Second, brookies will often position themselves underneath a clog of logs, branches and downfall at the tailout of a pool where the current narrows and accelerates. When my nymph rig drifts close (dangerously close to snagging), I'll stop the drift and allow the nymphs to swing under the clog and jig them back out (using the same wiggle technique you describe), enticing a strike. Half of the time I'll get snagged anyways but its proving to be an effective way to get at those fish.

[@FarBank]

What a cool way to fish softies! Thanks for your comments and commentary on how you fish them. Great that you enjoyed this episode too - thanks for commenting :)

[@williamparadis3058]

Let me add my voice to the accolades that preceded me - a really fine tutorial. I have found soft hackles to be one of the best ways to start a pupil on fly fishing, but also on fly tying. Soft hackle flies may be the ideal way to introduce a beginner to both activities, because the complexity can increase as each easier technique is mastered. I have also, not infrequently, outfished a few of my friends who consider themselves dry fly purists, and by doing so convinced them that it isn't merely a technique for beginners - because the soft hackle is one way to make your offering stand out during an especially heavy hatch.

[@FarBank]

Thank you William, so glad you enjoyed this episode, and very much appreciate your comments :)

[@peterlamar8546]

What a fantastic primer on soft hackle fishing! If someone knew absolutely nothing about it coming in, they would know all they need to know to catch fish after watching this. If that weren't enough, you managed to add some highly technical tactics for those of us who have been at this for a while. Soft hackles are my favorite way to fish. Thanks for such an informative lesson.

[@FarBank]

Thank you Peter, so glad you enjoyed this episode, and like the variety of techniques shown. :)

[@drejtoman2974]

Excellent . Well explained. ❤

[@FarBank]

@@drejtoman2974 Thanks for the comment - glad you enjoyed this episode.

[@josephtommasi3477]

Excellent, thank you!

[@GaryCrocker-pg2mx]

Thanks Simon. Great topic not often covered. I'll be putting some of these tips to the river this season.

[@FarBank]

Glad you enjoyed the video, and thanks for commenting. Hopefully some of the tips help you on your local river this season. :)

[@johnshand6176]

I have just spent a few days tying up barbless soft hackles to use with a group of novice flyfisher women for their first day on the river. Your incredibly informative video could not have come at a better time. I will inform the three old women to first watch your presentation and we will proceed with all the knowledge required to have a successful day. Kind regards from down under in NZ.

[@FarBank]

Thanks for sharing the video, and for commenting. So glad you enjoyed it...

[@gerbenheijdt4698]

Realy nice video👍

[@FarBank]

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it...

[@barneyewing2664]

My all time favorite rod for swinging flies is an 8' Fenwick fiberglass from the seventies

[@user-xx9pq6cx8m]

Great walkthrough! Question, do you change your sink rate for upstream casting? Thanks!

[@robertjaite381]

I'm new to the sport and these videos are awesome. I will be purchasing my first fly setup in less than a month. I'm planning to buy a 5wt from Orvis. I have decided that I will be getting a battenkill iii reel. I plan to buy a second spool for streamer fishing. I'm definitely going to spool it with the Rio single spey line. Thank you again for the great information.

[@FarBank]

Good luck with that outfit. Hopefully you find it a great match. Thanks for commenting, and glad you enjoyed the video...

[@MarcTelesha]

Great upstream wet flies tutoring. I was taught this decades ago and whenever people ask what I am doing they look at me cross eyed and stop the conversation like I am insane. I call it single seam fishing. I will also cast upstream and then perform a lift after the flies go down stream in a likely spot and have the flies rose to the surface. Great flies. Soft hackles use to mean weightless spiders. After years of fishing them I have beads and cdc and E en rubber legs. Good to see your box is also non traditional.

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting, and glad you enjoyed the video so much. We'll pass your comments directly on to Simon...

[@mitchelkobli442]

When is the trout Spey video coming out. I’m dying to learn!!!

[@FarBank]

Should be soon -hopefully early March and in time for the season

[@MrSurfangler]

Loved the video Simon! Specially the upstream part! I would say that an easy way to fish them upstream is on a long Tenkara! Almost euro nymph it and pulsate the fly with change in the line tension. The reverse hackle amplify the movement on change in tension

[@FarBank]

Thanks for commenting. we are really glad you enjoyed the video and will pass on your Tenkara idea/comments to Simon. He loves feedback and new ideas...

[@MrSurfangler]

@@FarBank , Thanks , I would love to hear what he has to say. I didn’t word my comment properly, Tenkara uses soft hackles with hackle pointed forward ie towards the hook eye. Its similar to European nymphing as casts are made upstream with all the line of the water. We can utilize the concept of sighter tension to make the hackle pulsate. When the sighter is tight / leading the fly the hackle opens and when the sighter tension / sighter sad is reduced the current closes the hackle . This continuous opening and closing of the hackle is enticing to the fish and provokes strikes. Tenkara masters fish with a single soft hackle fly no matter the conditions, I guess Simon shares this love of softhackles with them.

[@michaelengelstad2055]

you guys should start putting tippet rings on the ends of your versa leaders instead of the loop to loop connection.

[@FarBank]

Good idea - we'll pass that on to the R&D team.... Thanks 😀

[@noblestsavage1742]

Simon, awesome vid as always. I’m wondering about your accent; everything I’ve read says you’re from the West Country but I’m sure I detect a hint of Welsh in your voice?

[@FarBank]

We asked Simon, he said he was born in Kent, moved to Devon when he was 12, but lived in Scotland as well, which is why you may have picked up a slight twang

[@noblestsavage1742]

@@FarBank yeah, maybe. i was born in hampshire, moved to devon at 2, moved to wales at 10, moved to scotland at 40 where i remain. he must have an accent composed of all the accents that i know well.

[@sgrahammd]

Great instructional video. Two questions: 1) do you set with a standard trout set or with a streamer set and 2) do you add a slinky leader especially upstream to help detect eats> Than ks

[@FarBank]

Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks. We asked Simon the two questions. He said 1) a streamer rig is usually too heavy/powerful at the front end and doesn't present soft hackles well, so better to go with a regular trout set up. 2) He also said he does use a slinky indicator for upstream soft hackles. Hope that helps a little...

[@sgrahammd]

@@FarBank Sorry if my question wasn't clear. Do you set the hook by pulling back quickly on the line or by lifting the rod tip?

[@FarBank]

@@sgrahammd - lifting the rod instantly :)

[@FarBank]

@@sgrahammd ah sorry, that makes more sense - lifting the rod, for sure

[@austinmack5791]

Do these work for larger fish I just started and haven’t got anything bigger than twelve inches lol as far as trout go

[@FarBank]

They do indeed. They aren't going to be as effective as a large streamer for big fish at certain times, but if you choose the right water, you will definitely catch big trout. Good luck with it and please let us know when you do get something bigger. 😊

[@waynegraff3942]

🤣🤣

[@user-xx9pq6cx8m]

Great walkthrough! Question, do you change your sink rate for upstream casting? Thanks!