Parachute hackles

[Ardbeg]

Dead simple question...

On parachute hackles do you tie them shiny side up or down and what's your reasoning?

Ardbeg

[Hans]

Shiny side down....
This way the fibres will point a little bit upwards, making it easier to put each turn below the previous one.
Hope this makes sense...
Cheers, Hans

[Wildfisher]

Same as Hans although if it twists round I don't bother, not sure it makes any odds.

[scotfly]

Same as Hans too.

[.D.]

I tie them with the outward side (the shiny side?) down. I also have the curtains in my house with the patterned surface facing outwards to impress the neighbours.

I doubt it makes much difference really, though perhaps if the hackle does have a serious curve it may be a little easier to wind on as Hans says (though it is at odds with the way most people would wind dry fly hackle conventionally on the shank - they seem to manage that OK :?).

I have read elsewhere that one of the reasons for doing it this way is that the curvature of the barbs, if done the other way forces the body of the fly out of the water while it rests on its hackletips or something (I may be exaggerating slightly :roll:). What a pile of pish! The amount of hackle wound over the small space, and the amount of thread built up at the tying off point on the post make far more difference to the attitude of the barbs. Even this changes little about the way the fly floats.


.D.