How to Tie on a Hackle

Hackle feathers for trout flies come in a variety of qualities and colors. Dry fly hackle can be purchased as a full neck, with naturally growing large and small hackles, or as individual hackles packaged for a specific fly hook size. The best quality dry fly hackles are long and can be wrapped several times around the hook shank. The technique for hackling a dry fly is the same no matter the size of the hook or length of the hackle.

Things You'll Need

  • Dry fly quality hackle
  • Fly tying thread on a bobbin
  • Hackle pliers
  • Fly tying scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Strip the soft fibers off the butt end of the hackle stem up to the start of the stiff fibers. The amount of soft fibers will vary, as some hackles have more than others.

    • 2

      Hold the tip of the hackle between your thumb and forefinger. Lay the bare stem across the hook shank in front of the fly body at a 90-degree angle to the shank. The stem butt should point at you.

    • 3

      Turn the hackle so the fibers are vertical and the back of the hackle is facing the hook eye. Push the bare stem toward you to the start of the hackle fibers. Slide the stem back until it is snug against the front of the fly body.

    • 4

      Tie the stem down to the shank with three snug turns of thread. Cut the excess stem butt off at the hook shank. Wrap the thread forward to the hook eye.

    • 5

      Attach the hackle pliers to the tip of the hackle. Pull the hackle out just enough to make it straight. Wrap the hackle around the hook shank in a clockwise direction. Make the first wrap against the front of the body.

    • 6

      Wrap the next turn of hackle forward of the first turn and tight up against it. Continue wrapping the hackle around the hook shank, moving toward the eye. Stop making wraps when you reach a point behind the eye equal to two lengths of the eye.

    • 7

      Hold the hackle snug with the pliers and tie the hackle down with three wraps of thread. Cut off the excess tip of the hackle against the shank. Proceed with finishing the fly's head according to your specific fly pattern.