which colour of genetic saddle would be most useful?

[brian]

I'm thinking of buying a genetic saddle with march browns, Adams etc in mind but I'm not sure which colour would be the most useful, furnace, red game,brown,cree :? any thoughts?

cheers

Brian.

[Fishtales]

Red Game would be my choice.

Although a cinnamon coloured red game would be preferable rather than the usual dark red. Mix a small black hackle through it for a furnace effect or rap it over a short dark herl collar. Mix it with white for a translucent effect.

[garryh]

by coincidence i just bought a cree saddle cape yesterday that might be what you are looking for.showed it to col this morning and we were thinking you could do adams with one feather. Metz grade 2 saddle ?22.
Garry

[garryh]

yes thats the ones Brian.the only thing i would advise is there can be quite a variation in the shades,some have quite a lot of black barring and the brown also varies from light to dark.i got mine from the Glasgow angling centre and picked it from half a dozen on show,i only really fancied two of them,but everyone has different opinions .but its something to consider if going the mail order route.

Garry

[Malcolm]

If I had only one...no doubt in my mind: grizzle. It can be used for so many flies. I like Whiting saddles they come in various sizes and grades. There are fae too many hackles for the average lifetime - try and get someone to share then you can get two half capes.

[Highlander]

For the flies you mentioned I would go for Cree or a nice grizzle. Would not choose Metz but stick to Whiting. Have you thought of the Whiting 100s packs.That way you could afford maybe three different for the price of a whole saddle.
This sort of thing but shop around for best prices.
http://www.lakelandflytying.com/1912/products/Whiting_100s_Saddle_Hackle_Packs.aspx
Tight Lines

[Andrew Moray]

Hello Brian,

I have a pack of the Whiting 100's from when Alan showed me the ropes, I'd be happy to throw a couple in an envelope if you want to try before you buy ?.

A neck would provide a much wider range of sizes over a saddle, but if you intend to tie within a narrow range of sizes, IMO, the saddle would be the better option.
As for your FIRST genetic cape, grizzle would be my recommendation. (with careful use of Sharpie coloured pens).


HTH
Tony

[Highlander]

from when Alan showed me the ropes

And now the pupil becomes the master.
:allhail
Do not know what Tony has left but if you drop me a line I can spare a few Cree saddle hackles, not Whiting but Hoffman which Whiting Farms bought over some years back.
Tight Lines
PS Tell you what though a Silver Badger is a nice hackle for Clyde Dries.

[Black-Don]

I heard from someone that grizzle are hard as hens teeth to come by this year because they've come into fashion in a major way.

I don't have any Whiting capes or saddles because they are hell of expensive but have a couple of Metz grade two which are cheaper but smaller.

I got a couple of cracking saddles from Gerry MacDonald and an absolute top notch furnace hen cape from Steve Cooper at Cookshill for ?14. The guy is excellent to deal with too, order it one day, it's there the next. I don't know why his catalogue seems to have such a limited choice or maybe you've got to ask him for your specific needs.

http://www.cookshill-flytying.co.uk/

EDIT

Was typing when you posted Brian. GAC was where I got my Metz capes. I'm surprised you were badly treated by them as they're usually quite good for customer service. I don't know why they didn't do a manual transax for you ? I take it you tried to get a bank at Saracen street, I'm no surprised it wisnae working :roll: in fact I'm sure I had to go into the branch the last time I was up there in Apache country.

[Darwin]

Genetic saddles are going up in the states as well, hair dressers using them.  One of my favorite suppliers has Metz #2 saddles for $30 and Whiting Euro Rooster Saddle Hackles for $60.  Same supplier also listing genetic feathers as craft / decorative fancy items
Lucky for me another supplier has Metz #2 cock saddles for $11.99 ($16.99 for grizzly, now marked out of stock) Obviously marked wrong, but they have had that price for months. Sorry but they don't ship out of country.