Rubber Leg Soft Hackle
Hare’s Ear version of a Rubber Leg Soft Hackle
Knotted pheasant legs have been added to soft hackle fly patterns for decades. The legs add an extra element of bugginess that can't be achieved with hackle and dubbing alone. The problem is knotted pheasant tail fibers are extremely delicate seldom remaining on the fly after a few fish are caught. In addition, the knotted legs are time-consuming to make. While the finished flies look incredible, the legs usually disappear from the fly after a fish or two because of their delicate nature. Enter the rubber leg soft hackle. Fine rubber or silicon legs can be added to just about any soft hackle for a little extra bugginess.
Materials List:
Hook: Standard wet fly hook sizes 8-14 (size ten used in the example)
Thread: Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread - 8/0 - rust
Tail: Fine grizzly marabou - tan/black (a tuft of hare’s mask fur works just as well)
Rib: Semperfli 1/32” Holo Tinsel - dark gold or tinsel of choice
Body: Natural hare’s ear dubbing
Legs: Micro Grizzly Flutter Legs - root beer
Thorax: Rabbit fur dubbing - orange
Hackle: Cock pheasant body feather or mottled brown hen feather
Tying tip: Add the silicon legs after the body and ribbing. The legs will flare out perpendicular to the body when tied in, but by adding them after the body, you can guide them into position as you dub the thorax. The dubbed thread helps sweep the legs back along the body instead of sticking out at 90 degrees.
A traditional wide-gap style hook perfect for dry flies and light nymphs. Barbless with a black finish. This is the perfect hook for all of your panfish dry flies and shallow running wet flies and nymphs
Semperfli Waxed Threads are the best tying threads available to today’s fly tier! This thread has been developed after examining the traditional waxed threads used by fly tiers world-wide. These polyester threads are examples of the innovation that always occurs with Semperfli products. Semperfli extruded the polyester thread so that it is flatter than other threads giving more grip to prevent materials slippage. It has a light wax coating to provide grip but not enough to clog a bobbin holder. Strength has always been a base line consideration at Semperfli so our 8/0 is 40% stronger than comparable threads. Finally we made sure the flat profile thread was easy to split! We then went that one final step, adding 240 yards or thread compared to other manufacturers 50, 100 or 200 yards making it highly cost effective.
If you have ever had to throw away a partially used spool of thread because you encountered a bird’s nest halfway through the spool you know how frustrating that can be! Semperfli has invested in precision spooling equipment that lays down even the finest fibers in touching turns. Never again will you have to deal with a hopelessly tangled spool of thread!
Need a thread color you don’t see listed here? Just drop us a line and we can order it for you!
Breaking Strains:
6/0 - 938gm / 33.01oz
8/0 - 754gm / 26.6oz
12/0 - 489gm / 17.25oz
These small marabou feathers are commonly known as chickabou. These feathers have black grizzly barring and are dyed in a variety of fish-catching colors.
Grizzly Flutter Legs from Hareline Dubbin are silicone legs that are barred on both sides and come in a wide range of colors. Use them to add more action to your panfish and bass flies or add them to your streamer and terrestrial patterns as well. These legs are buggy, flat, barred on both sides, and they flutter with the slightest of movement or current.
4 skirts per package.
Indian hen feathers have a wide range of uses in fly tying. Being a natural product these feathers can have partridge-like or grizzly marked feathers as well as solid colors. These versatile soft, webby feathers are perfect for soft hackles, wet flies, nymphs and streamers