Hackles

[bam]

Looking for some dry fly hackles for flies in the 14-20 range. Black and cream can be low quality or maybe 1/4 necks, but I'd like a better brown and an even better grizzley (down to 24s) for midges, tricos and such. Does anyone have a good source where I can get a good deal and trust the supplier to pick me out some good hackles?

I'm good on the grizz for now, but I'm running out of hackles in the 18-24 range. Still have a little left on the brown too.

 

[MKern]

Why not replace with Whiting 100's or even the Metz 100 packs?

I've seen Whiting down to 26. Odd though, it was a shop in Hawaii.

 

[skiltonian]

FYI - i like the preselected saddle hackles per size - they have them at french creek outfitters and surely at the orvis shop.

 

[littlelehigh]

Wait until early March for the FF show in Valley Forge. Charlie Collins of Collins Hackle will be there with necks for $15 each then you can hand pick what you want. Great quality for the price and you can ask him any questions you have.

 

[dryflyguy]

I used to buy the Collins necks when he came to the cabin fever show years ago. His hackle is very nice - and his prices couldn't be beat.
Lately, I've been getting #3 metz necks for around $30. Can still find some pretty good hackle that way - just check them out first.
If you tie lots of dries, I still think you're better off buying the necks

 

[franklin]

littlelehigh wrote:
Wait until early March for the FF show in Valley Forge. Charlie Collins of Collins Hackle will be there with necks for $15 each then you can hand pick what you want. Great quality for the price and you can ask him any questions you have.

Yep, several hackle vendors along with some fly shops which carry nice hackle.

 

[sandfly]

I've seen Whiting down to 26. Odd though, it was a shop in Hawaii.

The pineapple midge fly, very big there for Koi..

 

[gfen]

littlelehigh wrote:
Wait until early March for the FF show in Valley Forge. Charlie Collins of Collins Hackle will be there with necks for $15 each then you can hand pick what you want. Great quality for the price and you can ask him any questions you have.

This.

His $10 capes are phenomenal, just a little small....but they're $10!

 

[littlelehigh]

gfen wrote:

littlelehigh wrote:
Wait until early March for the FF show in Valley Forge. Charlie Collins of Collins Hackle will be there with necks for $15 each then you can hand pick what you want. Great quality for the price and you can ask him any questions you have.

This.

His $10 capes are phenomenal, just a little small....but they're $10!

Ahem did I get hosed Sunday his price then was $15 each for the commercial grade. I do recall as you said $10 each last year and was looking forward to buying a few this year. Oh well, still can't beat $15 each. I'm sure his feed prices increased like everything else over the past year.

 

[bam]

I got some awesome webby saddles off him last year for $3 and $4 a piece at the show. Most of his rooster hackles were pretty well picked through by that time.

The 100s are nice, but they're close to 20 bucks these days. I have a couple left and they still have $8 stickers on em