White hackles
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Fly Tying
Forum Description: Swap tips and techniques for Fresh and Saltwater fly patterns
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38433
Printed Date: 03 Feb 2026 at 11:56am
Topic: White hackles
Posted By: sooshee
Subject: White hackles
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 12:50pm
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Would anyone be able to tell me where I can get white hackle feathers locally- the kind used for tying deceivers?
I couldn't believe how difficult it is to track them down- been to the shops, searched on-line, etc., and I can find all other colours except white!
 Thanks.
PS- May pop into Spotlight and see if they have anything.
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Replies:
Posted By: Uncle
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 1:07pm
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sooshee, I have some Yo-Zuri hackles in white that should do the job.
They'll be "winging" their way your ways on Monday
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Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 1:12pm
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There you go...
if you need to get more though just ask for STrung White Hackles... most suppliers should have them even the shop doesn't. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier 
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Posted By: sooshee
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 1:19pm
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Hey thanks Uncle!
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Posted By: PTN
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 6:34pm
| Does it matter what colour hackles you use. I've been told that colour doesn't matter to much but more important is size and silhoutte. Colour just pleases the fisherman |
Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 8:47pm
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It depends on the situations and species Greg. When some fish are hungry they eat anything and when they get picky you want to have some variances. But then, as with all fishing you'll get one angler who swears by Chartreuse and another who wants red etc... there are variables and angler confide4nce in the fly is often a big help.
Having said that, I find a white a great standard colour in the salt as it is so visible. In schooling situations when there may be a lot of bait around being targeted it is often the one standing out (as opposed to directly imitating as in freshwater) that gets nailed. White, even allowing for the UV releftors etc, seems to be the most visible without going flashy of all of the colours.
However I would rate colour as #5 on my list of influences for fly choice usually the first four being
Size, Shape, Action, Sink Rate.... then colour... but in some situations you have to vary that. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: sooshee
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 9:24pm
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Interesting question you raised there greg. I'm a newbie in swf but I generally like a bit of white in the bottom half of my minnow style flies to simulate the belly of a bait fish, so it builds into the confidence thing like what Clark said- knowing that my fly resembles a baitfish. |
Posted By: PTN
Date Posted: 28 Feb 2009 at 10:38pm
| Sorry I didn't realise it was salt water flies. I only tie and fish fresh water so it may be different. It is interesting though - you hear lots of conflicting stuff at times and you have to wade through what might be right and wrong. |
Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2009 at 12:30am
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PTN, you cannot wade through what is right and wrong on a forum, on here all you will get is opinions... what is right and wrong is established on the water and can still change day to day. Colours in freshwater, however, are also extremely significant whether to imitate a specific trigger or, most often, to suit stream bed environs and water clarity. Early and late season ion clearing water darker nymphs are certainly more visible to trout and in a myriad of other situations also. To ignore colour and its significance is to be missing a very important, though not the most important, aspects of imitation, and fly fishing is, after all, about imitation. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: PTN
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2009 at 10:04am
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Hi Clark. Wade through what is right and wrong was perhaps not what I was really trying to express. There are those whose opinions you pay more attention to like yours and others. I'm newish to fly fishing and believe colour does pay a part but then you read stories like one from Chris Dore fishing a pink hair and copper and doing well it makes you think. Like you said above Size, Shape, Action, Sink Rate then colour but every situation provides a different change. There a lot for me to get my head around yet.
Greg
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Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 01 Mar 2009 at 12:50pm
Me too mate!  ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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PTN wrote:Posted By: sooshee
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2009 at 9:41pm
Received today the hackles plus heaps of other fly tying stuff you sent Uncle. I was gobsmacked (to the point of being embarassed) and couldn't believe how much stuff was actually crammed into the NZPost envelope
 . What made the package really priceless were the bits that I have not been able to source through my local and online shops such as the holographic braid and SWF hackles. Thanks heaps Bill, and to Georgie for the 2 "lure blanks" she gave the girls .PS- I told Jamie that I'll share some of the materials with her
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Posted By: jmeyerc
Date Posted: 29 Mar 2009 at 3:48pm
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I found that the white hackles are the hardest to find when I was looking for them - in fact the fly shop I went through didn't stock and couldn't find Hen Necks and white saddles or necks anywhere - the closest they came was a small dry Indian cream neck which was more Badger than white or cream. I still find white the hardest to get of any of the colours. maybe I'm going through the wrong places. Jeanne |
Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2009 at 10:09am
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A lot oif shops don't carry them but all of the suppliers do so it's really just a question of asking them to get them in. My preference os for Feather Merchants ones for quality, but even a packet of surestrick feathers will have 10 -15 usable feathers in it ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: jack23961
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2009 at 7:57pm
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I was trying to find a white hackle in Christchurch. I've biked to a few fishing stores after school and the ones I have seen are over a hundred dollars!
Is there an internet site that sells them
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Posted By: Pole Dancer
Date Posted: 30 Mar 2009 at 8:43pm
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You don't buy capes for that... just strung white hackle... should be buyable for 6 - n10 bucks for a couple of hundred feathers. ------------- http://www.clarkreid.co.nz" rel="nofollow - www.clarkreid.co.nz FFF Certified Casting Instructor / Umpqua Designer Tier
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Posted By: jmeyerc
Date Posted: 01 Apr 2009 at 4:45pm
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Have had the shop I go to searching for white hackles - hopefully they will come back with something - thanks for letting me know Clark. Jeanne |