Brown hen cape for Kate McLaren

[shpeil]

I'm struggling to find what I'm after for the front hackle on a Kate McLaren (and similar flies). Anybody know where I can get something suitable?

So far I've tried a Keough cape which is a nice colour but the fibres are way too long - to get a fibre size to fit a size 14 I end up fiddling around with the tiny, short feathers from the very top of the cape, but those feathers aren't long enough to provide the density of fibre I'm after.

I tried Whiting hen capes (both red label and Hebert Miner) which are lovely to use but every natural brown one I've seen has a dark band down the middle of the feather - if that's what I wanted, I'd go use a furnace.

I wonder if you can get dyed brown genetic hen capes, but I've not seen sight nor sound of them on the net. Not even Chevron (who do lovely hen capes, by the way) seem to do either a natural brown or a dyed brown hen cape.

Maybe you know of someone who would dye a genetic cape for me?

As an absolute last straw, I may have to buy a cream cape and learn how to dye it myself.

Then again, maybe I'm just being overly fussy about this... I can't believe everybody else has these problems for what is, after all, a totally ubiquitous tying material. What do you guys use?! Indian?

Cheers

Neil

[2604]

Hi Neil

I use Indian capes. They seem to do the job for me. I got mine from Steve at cookshill. If you give him a ring and tell him your requirements he should have something that’s suits.

Cookshill Fly Tying Materials

cheers

Alan

[dabhoy]

The Kate Maclaren pattern usually uses a ginger or red game hen hackle , but as has been said give Steve a call at cookshills.

[Wee Jimmy]

Cheapo natural red game indian hen,no need for genetics.

[paramedicpete]

Not sure if you want quality but as wee jimmy said cheap red game

https://www.dunfly.com/hen_capes.asp

Pete

[Former member 6]

You could try Chinese rooster necks.



Chinese Rooster Necks – Glasgow Angling Centre

I have a nice brown one I was using for Invicta's last night.

[shpeil]

Well, that's settled then! Thanks all,

Neil