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| The Improved Soft Hackle | ||||||||||||||
| The subtle improvements shown in the following steps will increase the attractiveness and durability of the completed fly. In keeping with tradition, this Partridge and Green is tied with silk. Depicted is Pearsall's "Highlander Green" and the hook is a Daiichi 1182. The 1182 is a standard dry-fly iron with the exclusive Daiichi "Crystal Finish". The Daiichi 1882 is an exceptional, standard wire hook for these flies. A wet, silk body glows unlike any other material when tied on these 1182 hooks. This is, in large part, due to the reflective finish of the hook which enhances the overall aesthetics of the fly as where a bronzed hook tends to subdue the color of the silk abdomen. |
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| Mount a Daiichi 1182 in the vise and tie on the Pearsall's silk at a point on the hook shank where the thorax will be located. This is at about the one-third point on the shank. Do not trim the tag end of the silk thread. | ||||||||||||||
| In contiguous wraps, wrap down the hook-shank covering the tag that was left from tying on in the first step. Stop wrapping at a position across from the point of the hook then, also with contiguous wraps, wrap back to the tie-in point and stop. Grasp the tag end of the silk and pull it over the top of the abdomen forming a "shellback" of sorts. Bind this tag down well and trim the excess. | ||||||||||||||
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| Using a very spikey hare's-mask dubbing blend, dub a small thorax over the tie-in point. The thorax will help keep the fibers of the hackle from lying down on the hook-shank and gives a slightly more bulky profile to the fly. This step is entirely optional and may be omitted if a very slender fly is desired. | ||||||||||||||
| Bind down 5 or 6 fibers of clear Antron directly in front of the thorax. These fibers should extend to about the bend of the hook and be mounted on top of the shank. | ||||||||||||||
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| Select an appropriately-sized partridge feather and prepare it by stroking the fibers back from the tip so they are perpendicular to the quill. Tie this feather in by the tip so the convex side is facing you. If a very sparsely hackled fly is desired, strip the left side of the feather prior to attaching it to the hook (the left side is as if the convex side was facing you with the tip up). | ||||||||||||||
| Grasp the quill with your hackle pliers and while folding the fibers back towards the bend of the hook, make one or two wraps of hackle. No more than two wraps of a "full" feather should be taken or the fly will be too heavily hackled. | ||||||||||||||
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| A completed Improved Partridge & Green tied with genuine Pearsall's Gossamer silk on a Daiichi 1182 "Crystal Finish" dry-fly hook. | ||||||||||||||
| Tie off the feather and trim the excess material. Form a neat, small head and whip finish. | ||||||||||||||