Tying a Purple Soft Hackle Fishing Fly

Soft hackles are classic flies that have grown again in popularity over the past decade. And, for good reason. These are simple flies to tie. They can be tied in various colors and weights. They can be fished deep (the beginning of a bug rising to the surface) or just below the surface (maybe as a dropper). Or they can be fished to mimic the whole process of emerging from the bottom to the surface. This is done by letting your line swing out below you at the bottom of a drift. This technique can produce some very eager, aggressive takes. Worth a try.

Tying Notes:

• Silk thread is a classic choice. UTC 70D works equally well.
• Brushing the ice dub thorax in the last step really puts the finishing touches on this fly. The ragged ends will sweep back and mimic the natural process of hatching.
• There are numerous ways to wrap a soft hackle. The most popular is to tie the feather in by the tip. This works very well. You can also strip one side of the hackle stem, which helps reduce the number of trapped barbs. The downside is that the feather prep takes more time. However, we prefer to put the feather into a waxed dubbing loop. We find that this is a very durable technique, and it also allows us to use more feathers because “oversized” feathers (when wrapped by first securing the tip) can be used for smaller hooks.

Recipe:

• Hook: Scud Hook, Firehole Sticks 315m, Sizes 16-22. https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-FIRE315.html
• Bead: Optional
• Thread: Thread: Silk (https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-SPST30.html) or UTC 70D (https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-UTC70D.html ), Purple.  Or Olive. Or Rusty. Or...you get the idea
• Tail: Optional. Speckled Hen Back. https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-CCSPKHEN.html
• Body: Thread
• Rib: Small Wire, Silver. https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-STWF.html
• Thorax: Raven and Wolf Ice Dubbing, Pearl. https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-RWICE.html
• Collar: Speckled Hen Back, Natural, Brown, or color to match. https://www.discountflies.com/product/M-CCSPKHEN.html