Hackle Tying tips

[ejones1961]

I don't have a lot of tying experience and on this last swap was my first shot at tying Hackle tails. I struggled with them a bit. Does anyone have any tips on how to make the tails look good. I can use all the help I can get.

[Black Crow]

Hmm, I'll take a shot at helping you out here.

First thing is to know which hackle you're using and knowing which kind is gonna suit the look you're going for. Generally, I like to use 3-inch strung neck hackle for tails. 3-inch refers to the total length of the feather. They are generally wide bodied and webby and do not taper along the length of the feather as much as 5-inch or saddle hackle.

As far as tying it on the jig head goes, wrap your string along the shaft of the jig as you would do starting out on any jig. When you finish the initial wrap, leave the bobbin hanging from the shaft with about 5 inches of thread pulled out. Take your feather and lay it along the hook shaft so that the rib of the feather is exactly in line with the shaft. Here's the most important part in my opinion - place your pointing finger and thumb down over the feather so that the fibers are folded down over the shaft. Now take the bobbin and make two very loose wraps over the feather with your other hand. On the third wrap, pull down with some pressure. Do not put pressure as you are bring the thread over the top of the shaft - only put pressure on the thread when you are pulling down. This will keep the feather centered on the top of the hook shaft. Continue your wraps putting pressure only on the down stroke all the way back to the head. This will result in the hackle being tied on like the green feather on the jig, a Rude Boy, pictured below.

If you prefer to have the fibers of the hackle sticking out the back without the end of the tail on there, you will need to take a 5-inch neck hackle feather and cut it so that you are left with a "V". What I mean is, take a feather and pull off all the loose marabou type stuff near the end of the feather. Then come up the rib and cut the feather using your needle-nose scissors so that you are left with about a half-inch wide "V". Now tie this one on using the same method I described above. This V-cut feather will result in a tail that looks like the red feather in the Rude Boy below. Acually, I used a smaller V for the Rude Boy cause I just wanted the red as an accent color. But if you use a good half-inch V, you will get a longer, fuller, more traditional hackle tail.

I'll put some more helpful, step-by-step pictures on here later if no one jumps in with anything better before I get off work.

Hope I didn't confuse you too much. Ask away if you have more questions.

[skiptomylu]

I don't have a lot of tying experience and on this last swap was my first shot at tying Hackle tails. I struggled with them a bit. Does anyone have any tips on how to make the tails look good. I can use all the help I can get.

Have you taken time to look at my little slide show? It's a sticky an all about tying hackle. If you have not read the sticky's on this board you may want to.

Skip

[ejones1961]

Skip, I watched that slide show a long time ago and completely forgot about it.
Thanks for pointing it out, now I have to try that when I get home.

BC- Thanks for the comments that along with Skips slide show should help alot.

Thanks Guys

[skiptomylu]

Skip, I watched that slide show a long time ago and completely forgot about it.
Thanks for pointing it out, now I have to try that when I get home.

BC- Thanks for the comments that along with Skips slide show should help alot.

Thanks Guys

Some guys do it different and just use 2 hackle tips. Do what you like and that will be best for you.

Skip