Gray Hackle Peacock

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redietz
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Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by redietz » Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:27 pm

This was one of the rejects from a recent swap that I recently participated in:
2022-01-12 19.09.23.jpg
2022-01-12 19.09.23.jpg (83.08 KiB) Viewed 2961 times
It's one of the flies that Bergman recommended in the text of Trout (it's also in the plates.) He recommended it in sizes 10 and 12 for trout (larger for for steelhead) so this is a size 12.

Another one of the rejects took my first four trout of the year the day after New Years. That sort of surprised me, as I was only using it a top dropper attractor above a more realistic size 18 imitation of a little black stone, of which there was a substantial hatch of the naturals in progress. (I did catch some on the point eventually.)
Bob
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Roadkill
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by Roadkill » Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:07 pm

I have loved both the Brown Hackle and Gray Hackle since the mid 50's, even before I got my first fly rod. :)
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redietz
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by redietz » Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:25 pm

Roadkill wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:07 pm I have loved both the Brown Hackle and Gray Hackle since the mid 50's, even before I got my first fly rod. :)
I've tied and fished the brown hackle for most of my life, but I'd never tied or fished the gray hackle before.
Bob
DUBBN
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by DUBBN » Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:52 pm

I tie and fish both. I give the nod to the Brown Hackle in large rivers, and the nod to the Gray Hackle on streams and beaver ponds.
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redietz
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by redietz » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:09 pm

DUBBN wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:52 pm I give the nod to the Brown Hackle in large rivers, and the nod to the Gray Hackle on streams and beaver ponds.
That's an interesting observation. I've long considered Brown Hackles limited by season -- they work well for in March and a week either way, but are not big producers the rest of the year. I hadn't noticed any real difference in water size.
Bob
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by DUBBN » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:12 pm

redietz wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:09 pm
DUBBN wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:52 pm I give the nod to the Brown Hackle in large rivers, and the nod to the Gray Hackle on streams and beaver ponds.
That's an interesting observation. I've long considered Brown Hackles limited by season -- they work well for in March and a week either way, but are not big producers the rest of the year. I hadn't noticed any real difference in water size.

It is probably more about my habits after too many years fishing too many patterns.
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redietz
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by redietz » Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:15 pm

DUBBN wrote: Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:12 pm
It is probably more about my habits after too many years fishing too many patterns.
Nevertheless, it's something I'm going to look out for.
Bob
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by Fishnkilts » Sat Jan 15, 2022 11:51 am

Hey Bob, I have a stupid question. Why do you consider that fly to be a reject? It looks good enough to me, and apparently to the trout too.
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redietz
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by redietz » Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:18 pm

I can see thread between the tag and rear of the body, and space between the tail and rear of the body at the top.

A perfectly good fly for fishing; not so much for a swap.

I always tie at least half again to twice as many flies I need for a swap. I send the proper number of the most consistently tied flies, and fish the rest. Not that everything I send is necessarily good, but at least they're bad in the same way.
Bob
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Re: Gray Hackle Peacock

Post by DUBBN » Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:33 pm

redietz wrote: Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:18 pm

Not that everything I send is necessarily good, but at least they're bad in the same way.
The story of my fly tying career.
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