FLYMPH FORUM

Hi lykos,
Hey, don't give up. It's not all that difficult and having the right materials does help. Mallard flank can be used for large flies and smaller ones if you know how to reduce the hackle to the appropriate size for the hook you use. Hen chicken is the easiest to tie with, in my opinion. Bird feathers can follow once you get the hang of it.

Here's a step by step of Han's Partridge & Olive emerger. It gives you an idea as to how to go about tying these flies. It's okay to strip off one side as Hans has done, but you don't necessarily have to do this with hen hackle. As the hackle is facing you, strip off the fluff and a few fibers higher on the right ride. Tie this side down, on the shank like in the illustration I've included, then wrap the tying thread down, tie on body materials, wrap the thread back, wrap body, tie off materials and wrap the hackle so the front of the hackle feather is to the front of the fly-toward the eye, tie off, form head and whip finish.

Han's process--http://www.danica.com/flytier/steps/poe/poe.htm
Keep trying,
Mark

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle...I used 3 different "feathers" or "hackles" , followed your diagram and Han's SBS and they look 100% better! I think the biggest factor was I was trying to wrap the hackle behind the thread that I had already advanced to the eye of the hook. By leaving the thread back a ways, wrapping the hackle, tying 2thread wraps around the hackle "tag" end, and then moving my thread thru the hackle to the eye for the head wraps. Then the tag end of the hackle just snaps off pretty as you please... Thanks Mark, I really do appreciate the help!!!