FLYMPH FORUM

hi all,
I just received a gorgeous Whiting Coq de leon hen cape in Silver speckle. WOW, how really nice the neck is. This stuff is beautiful and I now understand why Hans likes it so much. It'd be a great substitute for Partridge for smaller flies. If you've never considered getting any, you should. I got a great deal on Ebay for $25.99 and that included the shipping.

Mark

I was drooling over one that VERN-O had at his tying demonstration earlier this year. Really beautiful feathers.

Time to look into one, Ray. You'd really like it.

Mark

*chuckle*

It's easy to spend other peoples money, isn't it.

They're very nice, but I've found the stems (on the cape portion) a little fine and fragile on the one I picked up. It makes tying it in a little trickier, but certainly not impossible.

Aaron

Aaron,
I'll certainly be watching to see how the feathers from this cape behave.

Ray,
I don't know about you, but spending money right now is tough, especially for me. Occasionally, I earn a bit that I was not expecting and then I treat myself to something. This was a treat. I really have purchased very little in fly tying supplies this year- which explains why my son harvested me a nice grouse and a red squirrel. We are considering other resources as well come the fall hunting season. I've also been gleaning feathers from my finches as well as some blue dun feathers from my daughters Cockatiels. Every once in a while, though, you've got to give yourself a bit of desert.

Mark

[quote] It'd be a great substitute for Partridge for smaller flies./quote]

Mark-- I'm curious, does the hackle range skew toward the smaller sizes on your cape (say, #14 and smaller) or are you finding bigger sizes (#10-12) as well? Since I fish relatively infertile freestoners for wild trout, "big" is usually better for me. At any rate, CdL has caught my eye as well; the medium pardo or the new ginger just looks "buggy" to me, and the little extra fiber stiffness might be just the thing for my higher gradient streams.

Hi CreationBear,
Yes, the neck I have has a very nice range from big to small. If you are looking for mostly BIG, a saddle rather than a cape might be better. They are also less expensive. However the range on this neck is very good. I purchased this one to use because of the longer stems as compared to partridge. I often like to wrap the hackle through the thorax, and the partridge is often too short to do this.

Mark

Mark-- Thanks for the follow-up...I'll think about the CdL hen saddles, though I've not come across but one vendor online (Bearden's in Massachusetts ) that had them listed. If any other sources come to mind, I'd appreciate the tip.

I have both neck and saddle of CDL in silver speckle and brown. Great range of size in the necks but the saddles do run to the larger sizes. I don't remember for sure, but think I got mine from Jim Slattery. It would be worth contacting him to see if he has any in stock. Always nice to support another board member.

Just as a matter or curiosity, shouldn't these be called Gallina de Leon, Hen of Leon?

REE