Cock Capes or Saddles

[gazza1]

Hi all
I am going to try my hand a tying some dry flies and need to know what type and where from
What is best saddle or cape.
I will be tying sizes 12 -18

Many thanks Gaz

[Gander]

Originally Posted by gazza1

Hi all
I am going to try my hand a tying some dry flies and need to know what type and where from
What is best saddle or cape.
I will be tying sizes 12 -18

Many thanks Gaz

I think you mean to ask whether a cock neck cape or a cock saddle cape is best for dries? The answer is the cock neck cape.

[horses50]

For years i used metz capes until last year when i bought two half whiting capes what a difference they are great to use lets put it this way when the metz have gone i will replace them with the whiting.If you are going to tie a lot of one size i would go with the saddle if you dont want loads of one size i would go with the cape. hope this helps.

[emerger1981]

Originally Posted by horses50

For years i used metz capes until last year when i bought two half whiting capes what a difference they are great to use lets put it this way when the metz have gone i will replace them with the whiting.If you are going to tie a lot of one size i would go with the saddle if you dont want loads of one size i would go with the cape. hope this helps.

totaly agree! the whiting saddles are top notch aswell

[arkle]

For that sort of work, there is only 1 choice & that's the saddle.

[cowie]

Is it correct that the neck cape gives you a greater variety of size of hackle,whereas saddles have more of a similar size?

[balnacnoc]

Originally Posted by arkle

For that sort of work, there is only 1 choice & that's the saddle.

Totally dissagree, even a microbarb saddle would not tie flies in the 12-18 size, I would choose a genetic cock neck, stiffer than a saddle so therefore more suitable for dries, will tie flies in the 8-24 but mainly in the 12-16's so perfect for dries, most makes also do half necks.

[mancfly]

Whiting Hebert Miner saddles are brilliant for small sizes! they have a range of widths within a narrow parameter i.e. size 12 -20 dry flies. Each hackle is very long, and fairly even in width, unlike a cape hackle. You can tie teens of flies from just one of the above, short fibred, narrow stemmed, stiff shiny hackles.

To start with, the Grizzly Variant has an eclectic mix of hackles. Far less boring than a "proper" Grizzle"!

One of those and one or two Veniard Dyes and you are more or less sorted

Just beware of some saddle hackles that are mainly for salmon/sea trout flies. I think that's where some of the cape aficionados on here have issues

[jonnied17-2008]

either will do whiting has never let me down, half capes are great value and you will find grizzle a very valuable colour choice that will work for a lot of flies. I prefer saddles but a cape will give you a huge range of sizes, you don't need to buy the best grade bronze is good enough. whiting 100's packs (IMO) are the biggest waste of money.

[arkle]

Last night I fund a cheaper alternative to Whiting 100's & it seems to be virtually identical. They are sold by Untitled Document at £2.50 a pack or cheaper if you buy 1 of each of the 5 colours then it's a £10'er. It doesn't say whose hackles they are, but they look pretty good as feather range from 6 to 11" & give a size range in each pack from 10 to 20