i like the look of natural feathers but the soft hackle is fragile.i use senyo shaggy dub,little tiny silicone filament like jig skirts only tiny.kind of hard to work with.stocked trout seem to like the natural feathers tho and got a few this fall.also got some on foam spiders when i thought they were gills feedin on top.have to say as much as i love fly fishing and jig and fly tying,my best producing crappie bait is still a small road runner or blue fox spinner jig 1/16 i believe and southern pro crappie slugs with a wax worm.have caught 100s on them.