Orange Heron

[sean]

Well looks like my trip to the OP this week is shot due to rain. We need it though so I cannot complain. Guess this fly aint getting used anytime soon...

Used a shrimp orange whiting hackle which is a touch brighter than the orange I usually use but I like the effect. Makes the dubbing look hot orange but it really is a true orange.

-sean

[Gillie]

Sean,
Blue Ear for the hackle ?

Gillie

[o_clarki_clarki]

nice, i have been tying these like a madman recently fine tuning my materials and appearance. i like the feather wing and will have to try that style. are you using one or two hackles?

vinnie

[sean]

Yep it is blue eared pheasant for the hackle and I use 2 hackle tips per side. I also try to tent the wings rather than tie them in vertical.

-sean

[Dana]

Sean,

that's a beauty!

I trade ya 1/2 dozen T-Stones for 1/2 dozen of those...

[flytyer]

Sean,

You got them down, very nice. You've spent some time on the vise with these since last year.

[BEK]

Sean,

Where do you get your blue eared pheasant and how much does it cost? Is it available online to order? Thanks.

Brian

[sean]

BEP can be kinda spendy. Shops usually sell them in 10 feather packs for $10 a pop which is kinda crazy seeing how many feathers are on a skin. A big markup.

If you are serious about getting them it is best to buy a full skin. They go anywhere from $150 - $200 though but you will have enough feathers to last a very long time. As far as sources you can check with Aaron and speyshop.com or any of our sponsors and they may be able to help get one for you.

-sean

[o_clarki_clarki]

i'll have to agree with sean and say to drop the big bucks and get the full cape. when i started using BEP, I was determined not to buy a full cape and now regret dropping more money in one month than the cape cost. STUPID!!

it is a crazy markup!!!!

vinnie

[flytyer]

Vinnie,

The markup on blue eared pheasant is not as bad as it seems. Most growers are charging shops over $90.00-$140.00 for a skin. And if a shop owner takes the time to pluck the feathers, size them, and bag them 10 to-a-bag, it takes a considerable amount of time.

[o_clarki_clarki]

i have a cape to pluck for aaron and will get back as how many feathers plucked and how long it took.

vinnie

[flytyer]

Vinnie,

There is also the matter of feather size. Most tyers are looking for feathers to tie the larger hook; but a skin has a huge number of feathers that will not tie anything larger than an AJ #5 hook. Those feathers are pretty much useless to the shop since hardly anyone around here ties or used speys smaller than an AJ #3. The vast majority of folks I see with spey flies are using AJ #1.5 or #3/0.

The shop owner must make the cost of the skin plus some profit on it from mayby 50% of the feathers on the skin.

This is why despite my love of blue eared for speys, I keep telling folks to look at getting Whiting Spey Hackle. The Whiting Spey Hackle has come a long way since its introduction a few years ago and it ties a very nice fly, while being a lot less expensive than blue-eared pheasant.

[o_clarki_clarki]

yeah, i tried the whiting, however, it just was not nice looking to me after tying with them and too soft for my liking. i actually prefer schlappen spey for hackle and lack of BEP, however, i really enjoy tying with BEP. aaron is the proud owner of the two capes of whiting spey hackle i had for sale here. it all comes down to preference and willingness to expend the money for quality materials, for lack of a better word.