Production tying is not about sloppy or inferior work. No, not at all. Production tying is about efficiency in tying; that is, being able to dress very nice flies with minimal confusion, error, and material waste, and doing so very readily. Preparing and winding hackle is one of those places where every tyer can gain a bit of efficiency, especially in hackle preparation to make winding as perfect as possible.

The hackle should be cut at the point where the softer “webbing” extends 1/3 or less us the individual hackle fibers (the barbs). Then the shaft should be prepared for tying in. Some tyers trim the fibers on either side of the shaft, leaving tiny, blunt butt ends of the fibers. These supposedly catch the thread better and prevent the hackle from slipping out when it is wound. Well that was the case with silk thread, which does not stretch, but it is not the case with nylon, poly, and gel-spun threads. So, I just strip a few barbs off each side of the shaft by pinching them between thumb and forefinger and pulling. Yes, it’s more efficient, but that’s not where we’re headed.

It’s the number of fibers that should be pulled off that’s the point of this discussion. Most tyers just pull off enough to give them a bit of bare shaft, which can be tied in. And typically they tie in right up tight to the fibers of the hackle (Figure 1). This is not a good move, because when the hackle is wound, the first few fibers will cock out at an odd angle, usually sticking backward over the body, and give the fly a most unkempt appearance (Figure 2).

So, strip off enough fibers so that there’s a bit of extra bare shaft between the tie-in point and where thee fibers begin on the feather (Figure 3). Now, when you start the wrap with the hackling feather, there’s a bit of bare shaft that will turn against the hook before the fibers begin to spring out. This is enough room to get the feather up on edge without stray fibers cocking out at an odd angle, giving the finished fly a very neat look—and with no more effort than doing it the other way (Figure 4).

Figure 1. Many tyers attach the hackle feather with the fibers tight against the tying thread.

Figure 2. When the hackle feather is attached with the thread up tight to the fibers, one or several fibers will stick out at odd angles when the hackle is wound.

Figure 3. Strip off enough fibers so that there's bare shaft between the point of attachment and the beginning of the hackle fibers.

Figure 4. A perfectly wound hackle is only a matter of perfect hackle preparation.