What cape colour for Diawl Bach Tail?

[ChrisDickey]

Hi guys,

Im looking to find out what is the best colour of cock cape to use for tying the tail and beard hackle of the original diawl bach (plain with peacock herl body and gold rib). I have in my head a tan colour but all help is appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by ChrisDickey

Hi guys,

Im looking to find out what is the best colour of cock cape to use for tying the tail and beard hackle of the original diawl bach...

'Best' is a matter of opinion Chris, and I couldn't tell you with any degree of certainty exactly what the original called for. One thing's for sure (I think), it's somewhere between ginger and red game - brownish in other words.

I like to go with two, or multi-tone (Furnace, Golden Badger, Cree etc) .... throws a few more shades into the mix and makes for a slightly more natural nymphier, buggier look.

[ChrisDickey]

Thanks very much Scratch, I will look out for some on net.

[3lbgrayling]

I use red game.

Jim

[ChrisDickey]

Thanks Jim, Will look into that aswell, I have a red cock cape but it is a vibrant red.

[Chris Reeves]

The original dressing was Red Game. For those who don't know this is a very bright shade of brown, tending towards the orangy red side of the spectrum and not a true red. It was from the original "Old English Game Cock" breed which is sadly very much in decline, Modern genetic "Red Game" doesnt seem to have the depth of colour on both sides of the feather.

I prefer the original colour but as there are so many variations of body and ribbing these days I don't think it matters one little bit and I have even tied DB style flies with bright red and fluro orange hackels. They all work on their day.

Cheers

[mayflyjunky]

Hi Chris

Give Saracen a shout, he has a couple of natural red game cock saddles. They wouldn't be unlike the old english game cock birds. A fantastic colour on Green Peters.

[Scratch]

Originally Posted by ChrisDickey

Thanks Jim, Will look into that aswell, I have a red cock cape but it is a vibrant red.

Not that kind of red Chris... think red-brown, brick red almost.

[arkle]

The popular colours around Blagdon & Chew vary from light ginger to light red game with some anglers using cochy's/golden badger etc. It might be more a matter of what they have available that's somewhere near what they think it should be.

There is a dressing of it that uses black, as well as black dyed fine peacock & 1/2 a small j.c. eye either side as cheeks just behind the head.

[mayflyjunky]

Originally Posted by Scratch

Not that kind of red Chris... think red-brown, brick red almost.

Hi Scratch,
Is this the kind of Red or would it be too dark??