Dabbler question

[zonnkers]

I'm in the Dabbler swap and have never tied them before.
Does the front hackle have to be Bronze Mallard or can I use any barred duck feather?
I have some very nice Mandarin feathers in my shed and was wondering if I use these is it still a Dabbler?

Dick

[Scratch]

Technically Dick, no. It would be a bit like tying a Peter Ross with Mallard rather than Teal. Nowt to stop you tying the dabbler with whatever you want though... it would be tied 'dabbler style' and I'm sure it would be a very nice fly too.
Be aware though that Mandarin (too limp for a bona-fide dabbler) and many other duck feathers just don't 'behave' like Mallard... another reason why it won't strictly speaking be a dabbler.

I did something 'dabbler style' with some Mandarin last winter... I'll dig it out in a mo...

There ye go Dick...

[zonnkers]

Thanks Scratch
Thats a very nice fly ,more or less what I was thinking of tying for the swap ( I was thinking of a Claret body).
Another question is the cock hackle in front of the duck part of the original pattern or something that you do on yours.

Dick