Whiting Farms Episode 4 - Which Dry Fly Hackle is Right for You

This is the last video in our Whiting Farms series pertaining to Dry Fly Hackle, and discusses which series to choose for specific size and color applications.
You can view our current inventory of Whiting Dry Hackle here: www.slideinn.c...

[@martinallison8719]

Thank you Kelly and Jeremy for the great vids! You guys are both a wealth of info for me! I sure loved my stay at Slide Inn a few years ago and cannot wait to get back! I've been tying for well over 35 years, and the selection of quality hackle available these days is amazing. I'm a disabled vet on a small pension, so for tying for my own use I was glad to see the Pro Grade come along, although I truly love the colors of the Hebert and Heritage.

[@TheSlideinn]

Martin, thank you for your service. There are pro grades in Hebert as well and again the quality is outstanding. As always if you are looking for anything I will go look at them all to see you get the best one I have. KG

[@martinallison8719]

@@TheSlideinn thank you Kelly, that is awesome and very kind. I sure will be putting in an order as soon as I can. I am anxious to try those Oros indicators too. Thanks again, you guys are the best!

[@dankochanek8056]

You have no idea how much this helped me. Thank you so much for posting these.

[@jasonerickson1033]

Thanks great info ton of help I truly appreciate ya.

[@wesleystaud6695]

Kelly, Thanks for this series on Hackle. Whiting has evolved their grading and hackle series over the years, and it has been confusing. I just received a Whiting Cape from you that is amazing. Whiting truly grows incredible hackle. I have been wanting to tie some Atherton dry flys for a while and this neck is perfect.

[@davehall830]

You answered my question on color apps. tie traditional with natural material is the way to go less micro trash in the rivers&streams. Thanks Mr. Galloup

[@chadmann2724]

That was the most libtard thing I ever read

[@jimholland1592]

Thanks Kelly 👍

[@jimholland1592]

Thanks Kelly, I have been waiting patiently👍

[@jackreeves3001]

Great information,now go have some fun! Thanks for sharing your time and talent! KANSAS

[@RalfJenniskens]

Thanks for the info, nice clear explenation! Hope to see the wall ones in my life ;-)

[@deankrueger7178]

Great video. Very informative as usual. Keep them coming and how about some current streamers that are in development...

[@keithr4224]

To me? SIZE ..... color is color .... size matters! I’m coming to your shop soon for my next order. Thanks!

[@ThatSB]

I hated parachutes when they got popular. Now it is all I use. Why? Not only do they float better.... but I can actually see them without glasses

[@klb6910]

Great information, well presented. What are your thoughts on the Whiting Starter Packs for tyers that are fly fishing and tying generalists. The starter packs have 4 half capes in popular colors. A lot of us do not fish exclusively for trout and trout may be the minority of our fly fishing. $60 on a starter pack vs $200+ for 4 full graded capes.

[@mattkale8165]

I was wondering the same thing! Thanks for asking!

[@phineartz]

They are perfect for your mentioned uses.. I bought one when I started tying about five years ago (grizzly, dun, black and brown) and still use the necks as frequently as I tie trout dries.. the feather counts aren’t as high as the graded necks but it’s still quality whiting hackle and well worth the money- especially for the color variety for beginner tyers.. the larger feathers from the lower cape are also great for buggers, poppers and bass patterns.

[@bolt3030]

What about for someone like me that is just starting out and on a budget? I can't afford to purchase multiple necks. Is there one or two colors that you can mostly get away with? Or even just a grizzly and use markers to shade different colors? I try to keep things simple, mostly due to budget, so what guidance on one or two colors to tie multiple dry fly patterns with? Can't finish this up without thanking you Kelly as your videos inspired me to start tying and have guided me through getting started, especially since I've mostly been tying following your patterns/KZbin videos. Please ignore anyone that says you talk to much, the little nuggets of information you drop have proven priceless to getting me started, like little tufts of dubbing that float through the air!

[@slickydicky]

The marker trick works. Now If you can afford it I recommend a grizzly and either brown or black. Over the last few years I've accumulated 5 necks: grizzly, black, pink, golden straw and a brown Hebert Miner. I reach for grizzly and black 90% of the time

[@leerichy6489]

If you are spending money on a genetic cape I would go for a natural blue dun and a honey dun. A honey dun the colour of that rich dark golden honey that just glistens when you hold it up to the light. Blacks and grizzly are ten a penny. If you can travel to a supplier then do it, if it's mail order make sure you phone them and discuss exactly what you want.

[@jeffbrooks8288]

Whiting has a starter pack with the 4 most important colors in half necks. That might be the ticket for you. Best wishes!

[@Dataminer726]

Starter packs are a good idea but I would caution you that is only true if the colors really match the color of the hatches the waters you fish. Hackle is expensive and I have found that fishing non hackled mayfly patterns like comparaduns, sparkle duns, adding trailing shucks to imitate the emerger are more effective than fishing the emerged subimago adult. If you want tie hackled patterns, buy the cheapest pro grade necks in medium dun, light ginger or sulphur, grizzly, coachman brown and black to match the hatches in your area.

[@TheSlideinn]

Richard, Thanks man. For the what your doing I would do a half grizzly and a half brown or grizzly dyed brown and cover almost everything, thats the next one I am doing . Thaks for watching. KG

[@ronporter1017]

wow, great series. now do it on hen for wet flies?????

[@robertsmith3349]

Do the the Dry Fly capes have spade feathers?

[@bucknakediam5837]

it's sad that up here in Canada a Whiting neck starts at $110 for a prograde and keeps going up from there.

[@possumkingproductionsmike8089]

Thanks for all the great info. Like you I go a size up on my hackle. I tie a 16 fly with a size 14 hackle. So when you say the majority of the hackle is 16-14-12 does that mean for tying 18-16-14 or the gauge numbers? Sorry I know that was clear as mud but just wondering. That’s for all your work and the great folks that work for you.

[@TheSlideinn]

Possum, I wasn't very clear on that. I meant they gauge out in those sizes actual sizes. Thanks, Kg

[@thomasw_]

Great information and well presented. I am looking for dry fly hackle and I'd like a dark barred ginger. Will you guys ship up to the Kootenays in BC? Thanks again for taking the time to make these videos...

[@TheSlideinn]

Thomas, We do ship up north! We do have some DBG capes at the moment and a couple midge saddles left. I would check out the High & Dry capes at the moment, there are some nice ones in there!

[@thomasw_]

@@TheSlideinn Thanks heaps for the advice. My cape order was submitted. Look forward to seeing it. TW

[@johnnylightning1491]

Well it's good to know I don't have to worry about quality, because it's all so good. The color stuff in another story. Do you know of any good guide to what the different colors are, either online or printed. I'm in your former home state so a trip to the shop is not in the cards right now. Keep the good stuff coming buddy.

[@TheSlideinn]

Johnny, There are a few on line guides out there. Where are you in Mi? There are some good shops there. KG

[@montanarailroads7367]

Take a shot everytime he says "freakshow".

[@themazamen]

with its larger feathers, would the Heritage line also be an option for feather wings or would that be strictly be the American Rooster line. Also, I know that spade hackle has been mostly bred out of the red label line, but what about the other dry fly lines?

[@straubdavid9]

Wouldn't a Cree be perfect for tying an Adams?

[@warrenhagenbuck8340]

Why don't you tell us how to get a catalog??????

[@TheSlideinn]

Warren, We don't have a printed catalog but you can find all of our items at www.slideinn.com/shop/ and all of our whiting hackle at www.slideinn.com/store/fly-tying/feathers/whiting-farms/

[@larrythompson2896]

Serious question here - how important is color really? Aren't the fish seeing most of these flies in silhouette (backlit to the sky) so color is hard to determine. I think there would be an obvious difference between a cream to a black, and grizzly - but is there an obvious benefit to slight shade variations?

[@leerichy6489]

You forget trout don't see things as we do. We look into the water from above ....then we look up and go.....just a silhouette. Not true. Dry land is our environment....the water is theirs. But the natural insects of the same species are all slightly different shades. So to buy many capes is a waste of money, just pick the one that is the average colour of the insect on your water and the fish will be glad to see it.

[@ibookje]

The hackle business will disagree with you, but yes just a few colors would be more than adequate

[@larrythompson2896]

@@leerichy6489 Agree on the difference between how fish and people see, but I can't see the point in having 6 capes in slightly different shades. I hit the major colors/shades in solid and grizzly and go for it. In all likelihood my lack of success is more likely due to my presentation rather than the wrong shade of hackle:)

[@leerichy6489]

@@larrythompson2896 Thats what I was saying.....the insects that hatch AT THE SAME TIME are all slightly different shades. The trout are used to seeing slightly lighter/ darker bits of food coming to them. They don't care as long as it doesn't spook them from a clumsy cast. Those capes are excellent.....but just pick the colour that will give you the best results on your waters. If you don't know what that is then you aren't ready to spend that kind of money.

[@sakarijukarainen2321]

fck,kelly is a doctor doctor of fly tying and fly fishing😂