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3. Schlappen - Preferred Brand?

Does anyone have a preferred brand of schlappen? I have been buying whatever is in the fly shop I go to, which I believe is the Hareline Dubbin 5-7" schlappen. I use it primarily on streamers and wrap it over chenille or diamond braid for the body. I can find some feathers that are long enough, but a lot are too short to make it all the way up the body. The schlappen I have does work well for collars when it is only a couple wraps. I have been reading around, and it sounds like Whiting makes some quality schlappen with little to no waste. I appreciate any insight.

Spence - Maybe this topic should have gone in a different section of the forum since I'm tying lures, not flies, right? ;)

Hi Kyle,

There are grades and types of schlappen. Depends on the use. I'd select them that way rather than going by brand. Using them for lures? Shame on you!:)

For woolly bugger types, the best is J. Fair. Long, long hackles. The dye jobs on some are not well done though (excessive bleeding). Especially the purples, reds and blacks. Whiting does sell a product they call "bugger hackle" I think, but the color selection is severely limited. Both brands are not nearly as soft and "married" as more traditional schlappen that is fully webbed all the way through. The latter is what I prefer for beards and tails on classic streamers.

Thanks for the reply. The schlappen that you describe is exactly what I am looking for. It's perfect for building bodies and collars on the streamers I tie. What type or grade do you use for the schlappen you describe?

Wow did I just get some beautiful schlappen as well as a lot of other feathers on a died Guinea Fowl Hen from Whiting Farms I received yesterday. I split it with another tier. He received two, a Royal Blue skin, and a Kingfisher blue skin. I will split my purple skin with his Kingfisher blue skin. Hope no slimy fish eats one of my beautiful flies I've been dreaming of tying with those feathers!

Jumping into this post a tad late, but I have been extremely pleased with shlappen from Clearwater Hackle. There are varying lengths, and it ties a great looking fly!

Here's a video I tied using some of it:



Tim

Hi Kyle,

Sorry for missing your follow-up question and this very late reply. Here's a photo of the two types of feathers marketed as schlappen:



The stuff I mentioned above is similar to the Wapsi and Orvis but came from Hunter Angling Supplies in NH. They really catered to the full dress salmon fly and classic Maine streamer fly tiers. They have since sold their business and changed their name.

BTW -

The traditional will tie larger collars. The slimmer and stiffer Fair and Whiting genetic hackle are much shorter in barbule length.

A comment on that schlappen bugger.....If you cut the shank of a straight pin, wrap it on the shank of a jig hook running on a tungsten bead placing it just forward of the straight jig shank, you can tie a bugger with more jig action fishing it below an indicator, or however....hook rides point up.

Kyle,

Go online to Jim's Fly Shop on the Madison in Montana...Take a look at the hackle room. My wife and I stayed there a few nights and she had to pry me out of there. The shop is between Hebgen & Quake Lake and is run by Jim Slattery...A good friend of our friend here, Mark Libertone (Softhackle).

Jim is one hell of a cook and if you are ever near there his breakfasts will rock your world. Ron runs the fly shop and they have it all in there. I shouldn't say anything but there are three Cree necks hanging in there calling out my name.

Whitings schlappen is listed under their bugger feathers I think. A tip shown me by Ron in the shop...On the edges of this stuff lurks some good looking spade hackles...Old-Timers...Do you remember pre-genetic necks? Spade hackles?

Sidenote: I stopped in there the week before I stayed to have breakfast, say hello, and talk a bit together about Mark...I was sitting at the counter and a young woman sat next to me and ordered two pancakes, that comes with two eggs and bacon on top...I told her Jim had weight classes like boxers do and if she could finish it she would get a prize...She gave it a gallant go and threw in the towel about halfway in.:) Oh well! The pancakes hang over the edges of a good sized plate!

The old Michigan Big-Ugly was a schlappen bugger...Kyle...Lure/Jig...between friends we won't split hairs. :)

Michigan Big-Ugly...Black or Olive

Mustad 79580 or wimpier long shank of choice...:)
Lead un painted eyes tied on top of hook shank.
Lead wire wraps along hook shank...cover these with tying thread (Mono-Chord)
Tail: Marabou
Body: leech yarn
Palmer schlappen along length of body...

Note: Not legal in Yellowstone Park.

Spence

Thank you for all the information! My biggest issue with the Wapsi stuff I use is the waste. Most of the feathers won't wrap a body on a #6 4X Long. That cuts out tying many of the flies...er, lures/jigs...that I like to fish. So, does anyone else have issue with the waste? Or a brand that has less waste?

I am trying to make it out to Montana next year, I will have to stop in at Jim's for pancakes!