Hackle direction

[Trout Of Doubt]

I'm tying my first parachute hackles and all the references say have the good side of the hackle upwards. I'm having problems getting the feather to not want to go on the other way up. Any tips?

[arkle]

In practice with many of today's genetic hackles it can be academic as to weather or not it matters that much, certainly that's the case with most saddle hackles. Try a few & see how you get on.

[stevekale]

You want the hackle to sit with a concave finish, like a saucer, so that the fly sits lower in the water. So shiny side down or on the outside when binding to the post (the latter governs how it will look when wound).

[Trout Of Doubt]

Ankle - the capes I've got predate genetic hackles and there's a noticable curve in some of the feathers.

Originally Posted by stevekale

... shiny side down or on the outside when binding to the post (the latter governs how it will look when wound).

Not sure I follow. How do you do that?

[arkle]

You tie the stalk in with the shiny i.e. side that faces you from the cape/saddle facing upwards.

[stevekale]

Originally Posted by arkle

You tie the stalk in with the shiny i.e. side that faces you from the cape/saddle facing upwards.

Disagree but there you go. Do whatever you feel like. I think the whole point of a parachute hackle is to have the fly sit down in the surface film and so you want the "upside down umbrella" look.

[stevekale]

Take a look at this tutorial

Charlie's FlyBox - Colorado's Best FlyShop and online Fly Tying Tutorials

(Arkle, we may just be talking across purposes. If so, apologies.)

[arkle]

Steve, I think your last statement may well be right.

[Trout Of Doubt]

Have followed the tutorial (I think) but when I wind the hackle it always seems to twist the way i don't expect.

[Mrtrout]

It is a fiddle Idris, but steves right, concave side upwards, the more you do it the easier it gets, says he who struggles.
S.