Feather Swap

SullyTM · 03-28-2006, 01:09 PM

Wondering if anyone would swap me 6 Coq De Leon feathers from a tailing pack. Is there a good substitute feather? I have a pattern that calls for them and I'm just curious to see if this feather is indeed the only kind that can be used before I invest some $$...I can swap something for them. Couple of flies???

Thanks for any help. Thom

...just PM me.

**Hairstacker** · 03-28-2006, 02:01 PM

Thom, actually any dry fly quality hackle with fibers of the right length will work. Used to be, you could find acceptable dry fly tailing feathers on the edges of a rooster cape (called spade hackle, if I recall correctly) but modern genetic capes (like Whiting) have pretty much bred these feathers with longer fibers acceptable for tailing out of existence.

Thus, I suspect the reason your pattern calls for coq de leon tailing feathers is not because of any special property of these feathers other than fiber length, but rather, in recognition of the difficulty in obtaining their equivalent from modern genetic rooster capes. The other possibility is that the pattern is actually looking for the speckling you commonly see on coq de leon feathers that you don't normally see on a regular genetic rooster cape. I'm more inclined to believe, however, that the first reason likely applies.

By the way, you can also still find acceptable substitute dry fly tailing fibers on certain chinese/indian dry fly capes, if you have access to a shop that carries them. (I know the Orvis store in Palo Alto does.) The other options are to use microfibbetts or nylon paint brush bristles (their equivalent), animal hair (like the moose body hair called for on the Western Adams dry fly pattern, if you're not terribly concerned about color) or other feather types (for example, the golden pheasant tippets used for royal coachmans, trudes, etc.).

Personally, I like the coq de leon feathers very much, as they serve their purpose very well, are a traditional dry fly tailing material (hackle versus plastic or hair), and I like the speckling on the fibers (to me more buggy looking). What color are you looking for?

SullyTM · 03-28-2006, 02:14 PM

Mike...I appreciate your response. Obviously, I need to bone up on feathers

You provided me with some very good information. Do you have a book that presents this type of information?

According to the pattern's originator the Coq de Leon feather is supposed to have a straighter quill portion? The pattern calls for a cream CDL feather, but tan would work...or any color since I just want to see if this type of feather really makes a difference. I have substitutes but I thought I'd send out a swap s-o-s.

Thanks again for the feather info...good stuff! Thom

**MSP** · 03-28-2006, 02:14 PM

C'mon Thom, we are Americans, why in the world would you want to use French feathers

I can't imagine what you are tying up next, but I want one!

PS - I don't think the Yuba is going to be fishable until 2008 so you will have plenty of time to get ready!

**Hairstacker** · 03-28-2006, 02:19 PM

Cream? Cream it is. Please pm me your mailing address, and I'll have 'em in the mail first thing tomorrow.

As far as a book, I don't know of one that has all of this in one place, sorry. I'll check a few on the bookshelf tonight just in case. . . . Maybe someone else knows of one?

SullyTM · 03-28-2006, 02:24 PM

Sorry Mike, but I'm going to be a tad secretive about the pattern until I get all the ingredients together and give it a go...Hey, with all this rain I have nothing better to do...

I'm part French-Canadian so it's OK to use the feathers

The Yuba is a tad high??? In about 2 days you might have a different opinion

Later...Thom