Twisted Soft-Hackles: Light, Medium and Dark

[William Anderson]

One of my favorite techniques for tying soft-hackles, as you have seen dozens of times, is the combination of a few herl fibers twisted with silk for a random, textured and mottled effect. Slim like a spider and textured like a pheasant tail nymph. The classic Leisenring Black Gnat is a good example with the crow fibers twisted with claret silk, or the March Brown Nymph pattern listed as one of the orphaned nymphs in the ATWF, with the pheasant tail herls twisted with the orange silk.

The following flies follow something I lean toward often, but not always, the notion that an active or mobile spider is a better imitation of a natural and size, shade and texture play critical roles. That being said these patterns are not necessarily hatch specific but more along the lines of attractors. A case for specific matches could easily be made, but the intention is to carry a similar construction in three shades. (too wordy? I know, it's been a while since I've posted.)


The Light Twist - bleached turkey twisted with primrose silk and a speckled hen hackle.





The Medium Twist - golden pheasant tail herl twisted with orange silk and a grouse hackle. Sub partridge or woodcock for the grouse.





The Dark Twist - the classic Leisenring Black Gnat twisted with crows fibers and claret silk and a Starling hackle.





In a fit of ocd/meditation/avoidance I tied three dozen of the medium with a turkey tail herl and ginger variant hackle.

[DUBBN]

Very, very cool. All are so very uniform as well. You are a master tyer sir.

[fly_fischa]

Nice to see you getting some time behind the vise my friend Beautifully tied flies as always I especially like the Dark.

In a fit of ocd/meditation/avoidance I tied three dozen of the medium with a ginger variant hackle.

Now come on Will, I think you just aren't trying hard enough! It's certainly only borderline OCD at best! Pretty impressive array of flies mate To qualify as OCD you would have had to fill all the slots in the box, utilized tweezers to put them in and used a body material technique that introduces less variance, (I noticed that the number of thread wraps showing isn't uniform enough). Oh s#*t does the mere fact I noticed this mean I have a potential problem?
Great flies mate, I'd fish those in a heartbeat

[William Anderson]

Wayne, that's very kind. They fish great, now to find the time to wear a few more out.

Karsten, I'm afraid you do have problem, and I'm not sure I want to go as close to the edge as you have. You push the limits. Those aren't thread wraps, unless your counting the heads. The random appearance of the bodies is half the point, you twist them together, bring it all forward and you get what you get.

[fly_fischa]

Thanks Will, now that I know I'll have to work on my problem. I wasn't counting the head wraps (consciously), should have been clearer I meant thread showing through in the body. I do love the random motley effect, very buggy, was just being cheeky.

[fflutterffly]

It strange or indicative of a deeper sickness than fly tying itself, but when someone opens their fly box and I see clean organization... I swoon.... OK maybe not swoon, but I do like it!

[tie2fish]

Very, very cool. All are so very uniform as well. You are a master tyer sir.

I concur wholeheartedly with this observation.

[Smuggler]

I remember watching you do this in Rosoce last October. Top notch method Will.

[Roadkill]

Great flies I especially like the Dark Twist!!

[hankaye]

dub-ya, Howdy;

3 doz. . They all look great. I'm more partial to the dark as that's one
I tied for a swap awhile back. Nicely done.

hank