Grizzly Hackle

[Joe Billingsley]

What is your favorite brand/type of wet fly grizzly hackle? I have some JV Hen from Conranch, and it is webby and great, but it is a darkish gray, not what I usually want for a grizzly hackle.

Joe

[narcodog]

Give Jim S. a ring at jimsfly,com he probably has what you want. You will find that most Griz. hen is darker than a rooster

[Joe Billingsley]

Thanks, narcodog. I'll be placing an order with Jim shortly, but I still am interested in the specific brand and "model" that you and everybody else likes in wet fly grizzly hackle.
Just curious.
Joe

[Old Hat]

Personally I look for older "C" grade rooster hackle. The stuff that hasn't been genetically played with too much. It's not as webby or soft as the Conranch JV but softer than say a genetic hen from Whiting. Just look for a low grade rooster from a no name company or supplier. If your just looking for lighter color, the very light partridge feathers work well also or I have found some india hen a grizzly color. Part of the fun is the search.

[William Anderson]

I like the Herbert Miner Whiting hen capes. I like that whole line for hen capes. Jim can look at his supply and hand pick the kind of cape you're looking for if you let him know what you want. I have a few from Collins too that are nice.

w

[narcodog]

For the Grizzly I settled on a Whiting hen red label. Now I was looking for a particular color or look. I went through about four necks and brands before I settled on the Whiting. It is one of those colors that you may have to research on. I went through or I should say looked at many necks before I found what I was looking for. I got mine from Jim. It has the light and dark barring more like a rooster that I wanted.

I have some Hebert and Collins also but the Whiting met my criteria.

[Joe Billingsley]

William,
Jim brought me a honey dun colored Whiting Herbert Miner hen cape a few years ago that is absolutely beautiful. It's so pretty I almost hate to pluck a feather off of it to use (notice I said "almost")!

narcodog,
The coloring of rooster with the more pronounced light and dark barring is more what I'm looking for. My local shop doesn't have much of a selection and I dread going into BassPro or Cabela's, who wouldn't have it anyway. I know Jim will do me right.

Joe

[Joe Billingsley]

I am not demeaning Denny and Conranch in any way at all. I don't want to imply that whatsoever. He has great materials and is a pleasure to deal with. It's just that I'm looking for a little different color in a grizzly hen cape. I have the black/gray grizzly hen cape from him, which I use a lot, and I want to add a brown/light cream grizzly hen cape.
Sorry. I wanted to get that understood.

Joe