Variants

Tied a few Variants using hackle from a Whiting CDL Pardo, Metz Chocolate dun and a Collins Grizzly capes. All tails are from the CDL (Coq de Leon) cape. Hooks used are all from Mustad (model 94842 and 94840) size 14, 12 and 8. Variants are usually tied with oversized hackle sizes, sometimes as large as four times the hook gape.

Art Flick suggested in his book ‘New Streamside Guide’ spade hackles for Variants. Spade hackles have long, straight and stiff barbules making them ideal for Variant type flies and tailing for dry flies. Unfortunately in this genetic hackle era spade hackles seems to have gone obsolete.

The larger upper feathers of capes are usually left unused or sometimes used for tailing material. Some feathers have nice straight barbules, others have a curve. Also check for webbing as it makes the barbules less useful for either hackling or tailing. Somehow in his time Flick managed to get very stiff spade hackles for his Variants.