26 June 2021

Unknown vintage capes

Recently acquired a few no name used vintage capes like this nice ginger cape. Still enough hackles for a size 12 Light Cahill. Love the glassy gingery shine and the straight & stiff barbules!


Update:
Mike Valla sent some interesting info about the hackle color used for the Light Cahill:
"Jay, for years the hackle shade you selected was the shade used for Light Cahills---in the Catskills. Overtime, the hackle shade changed to almost a cream....so different and not at all what we traditionally used. The late Ralphy Graves and I often discussed and point out this fact.
.....
Metz hackle was that shade. It was a big deal when Metz produced "the perfect ginger," as they called it in full page late 1970's Fly Fisherman magazine advertisments----sometime in the 80's a lighter hackle was used."

Thanks Mike!
Also check out page 92 and 153 in Mike's book 'Tying Catskill style Dry Flies' about the hackle color.





























































Flies tied by Rube Cross, in the middle a Light Cahill



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