Single fly: Any of the Soft-Hackle flies can be ordered individually. Individual flies are sold in 1/2 dozen units and can be ordered in hook sizes #10 or #12.
Set: This selection of Soft-Hackle Wet Flies contains 1 dozen flies; two each of the following 6 classic patterns:
- Black Midge
- Brown Hackle
- Gray Hackle Peacock
- Gray Hackle Yellow
- Orange Fish Hawk
- Sanctuary
Some of these patterns were popular in the 19th century; the Gray Hackle Peacock and Gray Hackle Yellow were listed in Ray Bergman's 1947 book, With Fly, Plug, and Bait.
The soft-hackles in this selection are tied on modern wet fly hooks, standard 0x long, sproat bend, chemically sharpened with mini-barbs to produce the best quality fishing flies. Each fly is tied according to traditional dressings, and these patterns were included in this selection because of their effectiveness. Soft-hackle flies have enduring popularity. Practically ever angler who corresponded with Mary Orvis Marbury for her 1892 book, Favorite Flies and Their Histories, could not over-emphasize the importance and effectiveness of these wingless patterns that were collectively referred to as "hackles." Reading Marbury's book, it soon becomes clear that fly fishermen of the 1800's would not be caught on the water without soft-hackle wet flies because they were so reliably effective.
Each of these patterns was chosen by combining their historic popularity and my personal success fishing them over many years, primarily in the waters of Pennsylvania and Maine.
Hook sizes:
- This selection contains 6 patterns; two flies per pattern; one fly in a #10 hook and one fly in a #12 hook.
- They are tied on a classic-style wet fly hook made using modern manufacturing technology; standard sproat bend 0x long wet fly hooks, high-carbon steel, chemically sharpened points, with mini-barbs. Modern hooks provide increased strength, higher hooking percentages, and fewer injuries to fish. If desired, the high-carbon mini-barb may be easily pinched down to effectively render the hook barbless.
What they imitate: Soft-hackle wet flies imitate a variety of underwater insects, terrestrials, crustaceans, and emerging mayfly nymphs and caddis.
When to fish them: Soft-hackles can be fished in any type of water from flowing to still, shallow to deep. Covering riffles, runs and pocket water with a variety of techniques can be very effective.
Where to fish them: Wet flies can be fished in all types of water from the largest rivers to small streams and big lakes to small ponds. Flowing water of all fishable current speeds and the still water of impoundments or natural ponds is potential wet fly water.
How to fish them: Like other traditional wet flies, soft-hackles can be fished with the traditional down-and-across technique, they can also be fished using the Leisenring Lift, or a with simple downstream swinging, twitching, swimming action on a tight line. When using this method, allow the fish to take the fly and hook itself without raising the rod tip quickly. Soft-hackles can also be effectively used in a two-fly nymph rig with a strike indicator and dropper(s), or a dry fly indicator and a soft-hackle pattern as a subsurface fly. Both these methods employ upstream dead-drift presentation.
Approximate time to complete this order: 2 weeks
View Don's other fly sets and classic fly plates: Don's Flies