How Leisenring tied the Tups

[GlassJet]

Hi Mark,
I'm sure Mr. Hidy added this to the original manuscript. I find the Marabou floss ok, but it frays easily in rough hands. I think I mentioned this in the thread on silk threads. To use it properly, without fraying, Silk gloves are in order, very much like one would tie a salmon fly. If someone else has a better method, I'd like to hear about it. I have used a materials clip with some success if done very carefully, but by far, the gloves work best.

Mark

Mark, I've been using silk floss a bit recently, and the fraying is a bit of a pain. I find wetting it a little helps - just wet your fingers and run them along the length before wrapping. I don't go crazy for the stuff though...

Andrew.

[Jerry G]

I post so seldom here I hesitate to bring this thought up. It did though just hit me as I was reading the most recent posts. You see I too have had to deal with silk or some of the floss threads fraying as I used them. Perfectionists I suppose we could be considered to at least some degree. Now none of my flies will make it to presentation class so why do I fret over a bit of snagging when hopefully a trout of some size will tear my fly to bits?

Regards, Jerry

[Soft-hackle]

That's right!
Mark

[redietz]

Great meeting you and your son over the summer.
I use the push pins with the plastic handles.
Jim

It was good to meet you, too.
How frequently do you not use a bobbin holder?

[Jim Slattery]

I tie all of my wingless wets without a bobbin holder. Other flies I use a bobbin holder.
I just like the "feel" I get tying without a bobbin holder.
Jim

[Hans Weilenmann]

I've never personally bought into the idea that a fly shouldn't have a visible head -- real ones do.

Bob,

I am not sure what you mean by this observation. The eye of the hook is as pronounced a head as I need to mimic the natural

Cheers,
Hans "minimalist head" W
running & ducking

[tie2fish]

I had never thought about it that way, Hans, but you are right ... the finishing thread wraps could be considered as more of a neck than a head (unless, of course, you're tying a pattern that specifies a built-up head). For all we know, even the tippet knot might be viewed by fish as being part of the "head".

[Soft-hackle]

Okay, we've switched gears hear a bit, but I thought I just add, when I was learning to tie, it was always stressed, I believe, to make sure to leave enough room on the hook to "finish the head". So, I always have. I've got to get use to tying smaller heads.

Anyway, on Catskill dries, about 1/32" is left bare hook after wrapping and tying down the hackle.

Mark

[Hans Weilenmann]

I thought I just add, when I was learning to tie, it was always stressed, I believe, to make sure to leave enough room on the hook to "finish the head". So, I always have. I've got to get use to tying smaller heads.

Mark,

I also always make sure to leave enough room on the hook to "finish the head" - I just do not leave a great deal of room

Cheers,
Hans W

[Davyfly]

The tups a fly innovated by one R.S.Austin of Devon County, so far as known records it was assumed that he was responsible for passing this on the Skues.
It has always been one of my favorite soft hackles and dressed with a fine rooster hackle a dry. There are many known variations, both related to the nature of the dubbing used for the body and the hackle.
The hackle almost certainly was of a honey dun shade, not so easy to find today. If you are able to obtain some of the Aracana breeds they are just about perfect.
My tying is simply Pearsalls yellow thread, thorax is a mix of natural/yellow/red seal fur, at 3/5-1/5-1/5

So far as the issue of how a soft hackles should be tied in.
We must remember that known techniques of tying were very different 100 years ago, in many cases the waxed thread was 1/2 hitched at various stages during the tying of the fly. And in many cases tied by hand with no vice.
Aside from that when dealing with very delicate and small hackles the method of tying in the hackle by the stem is most preferred, it is very difficult due to the delicate fibers the tie teh hackle by the tip and then make secure winds without it breaking.
Further if for example you take say a regular partridge hackle and tie it in by the tip or by the stem, before the fly body is produced you will effect a different wind to the finished fly.
One reason being that when tied in by the stem you will wind the longer fibers to short, by the tip it is opposite shorter to longer.
Spiders ideally should be wound with the stem tied in first.
It is common practice now days for hackles to be wound after the fly body is produced, which is well ok, the difference is that they are often wound way to heavy.

Davy