Whiting Farms Episode 3 - Colors and Phases of Dry Fly Hackle

In this episode Kelly will walk you through the various colors and phases of Whiting Dry Fly Hackle.

[@jimholland1592]

Thanks so much for how you do things. I watch these over and over again. So much to learn and so little time. Hope you and the crew are doing well. Stay safe👍

[@pauldonnellan6799]

Loved it Kelly from Pauly at Wilderness Coast on Fly in Australia 🤓👍

[@jeffbrooks8288]

Thanks so much! Can’t wait for the Mayfly series of capes you discussed. I really appreciate your time!

[@jeffbrooks8288]

At 6:22 Kelly displays two colors of capes from the Mayfly series. Can you please tell me the names of those colors so I can place an order. Thank you!

[@TheSlideinn]

@@jeffbrooks8288 we are currently out of stock besides in the saddles at the moment. Here are the links to the page with them, they list all the colors there and you will be able to see some examples of what is offered. Capes: www.slideinn.com/product/whiting-dry-fly-cape-mayfly-series/ Saddles: www.slideinn.com/product/whiting-rooster-saddle-mayfly-series/

[@leemowers9395]

Thanks Kelley for a great overview of the hackle necks. I loved the video.

[@deankrueger7178]

Excellent description of hackle phase colors. Thanks for breaking it down to a more comprehensive list. Look forward to ordering some necks soon.👍👍

[@talon769]

WOW! So much info in this video series on hackle. Thank you, Kelly !!

[@TheSilver9r]

Phenomenal! Learned so much in this series of vids! Thanks!

[@klb6910]

Another excellent class from the Professor at Slide Inn University.

[@kerrypitt9789]

Kelly your series on capes and saddles has been awesome!! I noticed this year some of the "Variants," have been labeled as "Splash." I'm in Canada so we are the last to hear! LOL. Cree is my favorite but sometimes I just feel like paying for a Cree, can be like having a colonoscopy. The only time I ever sold any cree, was when the Hair Design business went to feather extensions. Prices were stupid. I sold a cape with 72 feathers I can't remember the lengths but a prospective buyer asked if I would do that so I ended up making $110 for the cape with mostly feathers I would never use. I sold a mostly used up Grizzly and a light ginger saddle that I never used. I got ridiculous money for them. The thing is, I collect variant saddles and capes. So now I collect Splash and Variants which are the darker of the two. I don't know, but I think it has become an addiction 🤯

[@Utahlonghorn]

Great series!

[@sputnick66]

That was a great explanation, thanks so much.

[@lewisward4359]

You mention only using two colors of the High and Dry Brown and ? at 17:41. You don't mention the other color, what is it? Sort of a barred greenish yellow. Great series, learning a lot.

[@FlyTyer1948]

Which color neck did you want? Yes … all of them. I wish. Serious questions: When Kelly says “phase,” does he always mean color or shade of color? Or do the birds have phases where colors might develop different? Is there a better time of year to order a particular color neck or level (from Pro grade neck to High & Dry) or do you get consistent deliveries throughout the year? I am trying to see if ordering now or later will give a better chance of getting what I want. (Dyed grizzly or natural medium Dun or Honey Dun or variant). Thank you to Kelly & your team for posting these videos.

[@Dataminer726]

I tie my parachutes with the convex side of the hackle facing down. So when I use a cree hackle, the "cree color" faces down toward the water and the fish "see" the cree and not the dull side of the hackle. Since the convex side of the hackle faces the water, the parachute fly will sits lower in the film and simulates an earlier stage of emergence. Earlier stages of emergence are more vulnerable to being eaten because they take longer to fly off. I believe that like a Klinkhammer, parachute flies are "suspender patterns" that are suspended in the film. Therefore they imitate emergers rather then the fully emerged subimago adult mayfly.

[@johnnylightning1491]

Well it helped me out some but I guess I'm still pretty confused but I'll figure it out. That said I won't need a lot of hackle any time soon. I bought about 6 or 8 necks and saddles from someone who must have tied a lot of small dry flies. The small feathers are gone but the big feather for the streamers I like to tie are still there. Keep the good stuff coming buddy.

[@mattspangler6386]

Great series; thank you guys for putting these together. I noticed an interesting detail while watching: Randall Kaufmann's signature on your awesome tying bench. Can you share the story behind this?

[@TheSlideinn]

Matt, there are a lot of very famous fly tyers on that bench I should probably show them all sometime. Randal is a good friend and was always an inspiration to me in business and tying. KG

[@mattspangler6386]

@@TheSlideinn Thanks for the reply, Kelly. That's a great tradition for your bench and, I agree, it would be cool to see them all in a video sometime. I'm from Oregon, and for many years I spent a lot of time (and $$) at Kaufmann's Streamborn shop in Portland, going back to the 1970s when they first opened. I was lucky to be able to get plenty of in-person advice and help from Randall during those years. Randall was always friendly and helpful, even when some of the questions were seriously dumb. A really great, down to earth guy.

[@ThatSB]

What is the reasoning behind people wanting speckle? I cant imagine that would make any difference on a fly. Are they used for large flies as full feathers?

[@TheBenbeyer]

I'm looking at buying a Medium Dun cape to tie some BWOs at first. Would you recommend going with a Herbert Miner or the Red Series - Bronze?

[@designer1528]

Now my head really hurts. Ouch.

[@JP24Mich]

The godfather keeping in real! Glad we can get good hackle from a honest fly shop. Fly Fish Food ruined the hackle market by marking up Whiting capes and saddles to ridiculous prices.

[@ghart91]

I have a Whiting PMD Color Cape that they stopped back in 1990’s. Wish they would bring it back.

[@rakovegas9901]

I picked up a creamy, tan, lightly barred variant that looks awesome on pmd’s. It’s barred more heavily a little lower on the cape and looks great on tan-ish caddis patterns, terrestrials , etc.

[@sambrown2150]

Great presentation! How would you generally define cree? Thanks

[@TheSlideinn]

This is another one of those subjective colors. Everyone has their own idea of what true Cree is. The best definition that Kelly has given me is that it should have a similar color to that of a jungle cock eye. So an even barring of white, ginger, and black. -Jeremy

[@sambrown2150]

@@TheSlideinn Excellent! Thanks so much.

[@warrenhagenbuck8340]

Do you publish a catalog?

[@TheSlideinn]

Warren We do not but you can find all of our products line at www.slideinn.com/shop/ If you are just looking for whiting hackle, all of our inventory is here: www.slideinn.com/store/fly-tying/feathers/whiting-farms/

[@kuttycrew]

Super old = ten years, how about 1988?

[@fudd126]

I think I'm more confused LOL but they all look like fine necks

[@keithr4224]

Can you explain how I can buy a 14,16,18,20, 22, 24, 26 .... see what I mean? Seems to me that Size is more impotent than color ... hahahahaha. But, seriously, I keep buying expensive packages, no matter the color, and still don’t get the sizes I want. Especially the small sizes. Good vid though ...

[@stevemd8947]

I am fortunate. I live 5 hours from Slide Inn. I take my hackle gauge with me and size the saddles and capes. That is how I obtain the exact size. I have seen midge red label in big sizes (14-16) when the need is 18 to 24. I am very particular about my hackle when is comes to size and color. I realize not everyone has access to hackle like I do.

[@TheSlideinn]

Hey Keith, A cape would be your best shot to get all of these sizes in one product. That being said the other option is just let us know which size you are looking for if you are looking at a saddle and we can sort through what we have for you. We are always more than willing to bust out the hackle gauge and do some digging if you are looking for something in particular! -Jeremy

[@stevemd8947]

@@TheSlideinn Keith - The Slide Inn gentlemen are great to work with in accommodating the customers needs. Excellent customer service at the Slide Inn.

[@keithr4224]

I’m getting underway with winter tying. Going to inventory hackle and go with you on my next order. Seem like a trustworthy group. And, I’m planning a trip out there next August for my 71st birthday. Look forward to seeing you perhaps. Thanks for the advice and encouragement