Hackle for soft hackle flies

[zen leecher]

What did you buy at the show?

I bought way too much crap. Al Beatty had a display there and was selling Gary LaFontaine dubbing and other items. He's "versed" on rotary vises and showed me a few production tips to speed up my tying. Another booth was selling a bunch of different feathers. Some of the items I bought were a blue-eared pheasant skin for some spey flies, two courtinox (or something) quail skins, a number of other bird skins I'd never seen (or imagined before) and 5 books.

I also met two fly tyers that both finished the show with new cowboy hats.

No pictures were taken as I went to meet REE and his wife (hat buyers) and another person from the WFF forum that tied Spey, Dee and bombers. I had hoped to find a good selection of genetically engineered hen skins but none were there. Guess I order those on-line.

[Kelly L.]

I am jealous about that show. We never have any good ones here. Nobody sells anything usually...maybe a rod, or a fly box. I want to see feathers in person. But if I did go to a show like that, I would want to pull out the plastic...a definite no no...

[letumgo]

Oooo, a blue eared pheasant would be nice!

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Well, I'm back home from the Ellensburg Show where I met Bill face to face. I tied a few soft hackles and flymphs for folks, gave away a bunch of flies, met some other folks face to face for the first time. I also picked up a few quail skins from the lady running the bird skin booth, along with a melanistic Ringneck Pheasant. The colors on that bird are just beautiful. If I can get a photo that does it justice, I'll post a few.

The lady spinning deer hair next to me was my lovely wife, Vickie. She wanted a cowboy (girl) hat for Mother's Day so we got one for her. Nice black Resistol with a stampede strap. There is a guy at the shows who sells used hats. Some are gently used, some really used. He steams and shapes them by hand just the way you want them. I got mine last year at the same show.

Ray, I have a blue ear, as well as a white ear, would you like some feathers?

[hankaye]

Ron Eagle Elk, Howdy;

If you haven't received a PM or email from Ray already it's
only because he hasn't scraped his jaw off the floor yet and
collected hisself yet and figured out how to ask without seeming
to be begging.... , , .

hank

PS. Sorry Ray ...

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Hank,

I, on the other hand have no problem at all asking for a few feathers, or at least dropping a strong hint. How about it, Ray? Need some blue ear and white ear, maybe some Jungle Cock plumage? A good friend and fishing buddy was a hackle breeder and had a few exotics as well. I have been fortunate to receive a lot of free skins. Don't mind sharing the wealth.

[zen leecher]

Ron reminded me of one of the other skins. I ended up with a melanistic pheasant also.

I too have more feathers than I need.

In theory I am a duck hunter and plan on skinning next years ducks for the pelts. I saw what some of the drake divers were selling for and it astounded me. I normally pass on them as I won't eat them. Seems most other hunters do also and the fly tyers suffer. Before I wouldn't touch a shoveler and we have a bunch of them in the area. Now if I could just find some wood ducks when duck hunting.

Forgot to add I mooched some of Ron's soft hackles.

Bill W

[letumgo]

(the progression of my facial expressions, after I had read Ron's comment)

YES, PLEASE!!!

Sorry, I didn't mean to shout that out...

Yes, Ron, I would appreciate a few feathers. I would be happy to return them, once I am done with them, but they may not be as pretty then.

[Old Hat]

Looks like a missed a good one.

I did notice that the Yakima River is open year 'round. Did not know that. Since it has been on my list for a long time, next year I'm thinking Ellensburg show then floating home. going on the calendar now.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Ray,

Our old dog was an Australian Kelpie, herding dog, never, ever touched fly tying stuff. Our present dog is an English Springer Spaniel named Ghillie. When he was a young puppy, less than 6 months old, my wife was cleaning house and placed his puppy play pen nearer to my tying desk than she should have. He managed to snag a brand new Cree neck from my desk and tore it up. I managed to salvage about half the feathers that were strewn about the area. Outside, however, I kept finding Cree hackle that had come from the south end of a north bound dog. Now those were some ugly feathers and I didn't even try to salvage them.

Some blue ear and white ear feathers will be headed your way on Tuesday, maybe a few JC feathers as well.

Carl,

The Yakima is open all year round, but check the water flows. From what the guides were saying, it jumped 5000 CFS in two days because the three dams were releasing water. It also fluctuates in the summer for irrigation draw down.