FLYMPH FORUM

I had some new hooks come in a recent order and wanted to try one out. It was a #18 2x short hook and is a Black Spider. Then I wondered how small of a soft hackle one could tie. The next one in line is an Allen #22 1x long dry fly hook and the smallest is a Mustad #24 dry fly hook. The hackle on the #22 is a starling hackle up on the top of the neck. I found starling small enough for the #24, only problem was it was too delicate for my hands and I broke 4 of them before I switched. I ended up using a Whiting genetic hen neck and found #24 hackle up in the skinny part of the neck. What surprised me was I had hackles even smaller should one ever want a teeny, tiny wet fly. This new genetic hackle isn't anything like the hen necks of old.

The big fly is my submission to the latest fly swap. The dime is from my latest retirement check.

zen leecher, Howdy;

Absolutely amazzzing! How long before your eyes un-crossed?
Seriously, those are some nicely tied flies, I'm partial to the ones on
the ends the shorter shank (I think), makes for a nicer spider.

hank

I use a magnifying glass with my Ott light. Otherwise I wouldn't be tying anything smaller than a 16/18. I also have two lights on my tying desk, one on each end of fly tying area.

Good looking flies, a great addition to any box.

Amazing. I could not pick a favorite.

Good looking wee bunch.
Gamebird and songbird hackles, when you get real tiny can be a "challenge" to say the least. You are correct in the barnyard hen capes of old- there just aren't too many of those wee tiny feathers up where the neck joins the head and it depends just who and how careful they were removing the cape as to if you get any at all.

Nice work on the miniature wee wets though.

Holy cow! That is some VERY impressive tying. Great job Bill.

I can't wait to see you swap flies.

Outstanding work, Bill-Zen!