Coming Events: Rob Russell versus Ashley Doty – Feather Wrestling, at the Caddis Fly Angling Shop….
In this corner, looking lean, mean, and ready to rumble, we have “Intruder Rob the Fishing-Machine Russell.” In the other corner, we have “Artisan Ashley Earring-Creatin’ Dynamo Doty.”
Yes, folks, it has indeed come to this amazing situation, when gentlemen and ladies are increasingly finding themselves in a race to scour the Caddis Fly “Great Wall of Saddles”, intent on their quarry, seeking beautifully marked natural and dyed, narrow, ultra long, most excellent rooster saddle feathers.
Whut’s up? This is weird beyond weird. Unexpected. Earth shaking. A test of the boundaries of the human imagination, I think.
Us guys, selective and sometimes nerdy fly tying and fly fishing addicts, have been stunned – brought to our knees – by a shortage of natural and dyed rooster saddles for fly tying. We want these rooster feathers to tie Intruders for salmon and steelhead. We want to tie streamers for Bull Trout or tarpon. We want long saddles to palmer our Chinook Comets. We want long natural and grizzly rooster saddle feathers to tie Stimulators and Humpies and Royal Wulffs, Renegades, Blue Uprights, Adams, and all sorts of dry flies.
We guys want these Beautiful Rooster saddle feathers for legitimate, traditional, time honored, respectable, utilitarian and manly purposes.
But suddenly, in the last several months, the playing field has been turned upside down. We were caught off guard, off our saddles, so to speak. Our feather-supply territory has been invaded by women who don’t know a dang thing about a Steelhead Intruder, nor do they care one little tiny bit about tying flies.
First hint was not so long ago when Nate noticed that young women were wandering into the Caddis Fly, looking pretty lost, (also pretty and lost), strangers to the unique environs of a fly fishing shop, until they found the “Wall of Saddles.” That was it. Giggles. High pitched squeals of delight. Heads pressed together, wide eyed, whispering while they admired these feathers that were formerly the exclusive territory of us fly tyers.
Among the first “causalities” to the fly tying scene were the “Pick-Yer-Pocket” packs of mixed color saddle feathers. Something like five years of saved-up scraps from Hareline Dubbin flew off the shelves in a few weeks. Next to go was a steady stream of strung rooster saddles, natural and dyed grizzly variant saddles, strung rooster schlappen, extra select marabou quills, ostrich plumes, strung peacock herl, peacock eyed feathers, and peacock sword feathers. Not even the lemon Wooduck was immune to the feminine feather-shopping list.
Then the dyed grizzly saddle patches with long feathers in purple, kingfisher blue, olive, yellow, orange, green, olive, golden olive, black, and brown flew out the door. Yes they did. They flew out the door with the laughing happy ladies, about as fast as we could re-supply the “Wall.” Days evolved into weeks and still the ladies kept trooping into the Shop, and the ultra long saddle feathers dwindled. Meanwhile, our regular fly tying customers, mostly guys, were more than a little taken aback by the “shortage” of long rooster saddle feathers they had come to rely on for so many fly tying purposes.
Ooops. Just realized that I haven’t explained why the ladies want these ultra long saddle feathers. They braid long thin rooster saddle feathers into their hair. They make earrings with the dang things. It is all quite artistic and attractive, and the ladies surely sparkle with a special radiance when they wear these feathery creations.
At first, it was principally our in-store feminine customers mining the “Great Wall of Saddles”. Then these fine artistic ladies found us on the Internet. Whoa, ladies, how about giving the fly tyers a break? No dice. Limited supplies, high demand, and many of our devoted fly tying customers have continued to be frustrated by the shortage of their favorite saddle feathers.
So Chris took matters into his able hands recently, and arranged for the conveyance of several large bags of cash across the country to secure at least a temporary supply of the finest rooster saddle feathers for both fly tying, hair braiding, and jewelry making (read: earrings, mostly). But PLEASE, ladies – this has put a serious crimp on our fly tying supplies, and it has to be dealt with swiftly.
Next chapter to the drama. From a secret agent in an undisclosed location, Chris Daughters arranged procurement of roughly 300 (yes, three hundred) Eurohackle Saddle patches that have just arrived at the Caddis Fly Angling Shop.
Colors? You betcha there are colors. Lavender saddle feathers. Golden yellow grizzly saddle feathers. Lavender grizzly saddle feathers. Dun. Yellow Grizzly. Orange grizzly. Coachman brown. Unique variant. Pale watery dun. Furnace. Cream. Brown. Any shade of dun you can imagine. Natural grizzly. Light ginger. Grizzly variant saddle feathers. Light and dark barred grizzly. Ghost barred white. Golden straw grizzly. Barred ginger. And several other delectable colors of natural and dyed rooster saddle feathers too.
So, ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to browse our stunning new supply of the hottest and most desirable rooster saddle feathers to please both fly tyer and feminine craftswoman.
JN
Don’t forget to join us for the Nau Trunk show at the shop men’s and women’s fall apparel 20% off. Ninkasi, Wine and snacks.
Oh what this economy has driven us to (high price of gold no doubt)! It used to be in the olden days the term “getten some” had a somewhat lusty connotation. No when a young lad (that’s anyone who is under 55 and fishes) takes out a lady….he must also take along a pair of Dr. Slick in his pocket (remember when you had to take along something else on dates guys!) So, as you’re reclining watching that movie….or even making your moves during that great slow dance….out comes the Dr. and snip, snip, snip. The next day at coffee with the guys……Hey there Nate how was the party! Great….. Get some? Yep. Four grizzlies, three peacock eyes and and Handful of really wonderful long bugger saddles. And can you believe it at the end of the evening she complained that I wasn’t attentive enough. Well, such is the new dating for the fly fisherman.
Ashley knocked me out in the first round. That girl’s got one hell of a right hook–didn’t even see it coming.
Turn those top earrings (the red/white ones) into tube flies, and I guarantee they’ll outfish most of what comes off our vises for winter steelhead.
We had our wedding album decorated with feathers . Not just saddles: Bustard, Golden Pheasant, Argus, Guinea Fowl, Macaw and whatever else I had lying around.
The lady composing it did a great job, She was also astonished feathers were so beautiful, and so sturdy.
I would not be surprised if this started a trend. OTOH, I’m in the Netherelands, and this is 18 years ago…
So wait…..you’re saying its not Clay that has been bringing the girls into the shop recently?
My girlfriend has recently been hounding me to teach her how to tie flies. Sounds great right? Yeah… except she said that tying looks a lot like what she used to do when she made earrings back when she lived in Eugene.
please please please tell me were i can purchase these feather at
Hello I am a hairstylist and looking for the very long feathers in blue, purple, green and any fun bright colors. All the flyfishing stores are back ordered and I am in dire need to get these colors/ would you by any chance have these in stock and if so can you email me pic and prices. feel free to call as well 720-435-6619
Candace post
Hi I want to know how much are those feathers thanks
HELLO HOW CAN I PURCHASE THESE FEATHERS , DO YOU SHIP TO MEXICO?
I NEED THEM FOR HANDCRAFTS! URGENT LET ME KNOW PLEASE
those f-ing goddesses are at it again. using them poor ‘ol fly fishermen’s feathers – who knew?! when will this adornment stop?
Hello I own a fashion jewelry store that i sell mostly wholesale and i am looking for the very long grizzley feathers in blue, white, gray, purple, green and any fun bright colors. I need to order a large quantity please contact me if you can get me any kind of long feathers. please call me if you have these in stock and if so can you email me pic and call me right away. thank you so much. 818-822-8283 renee
i would like to buy few different fly tieing feathers how do i order and price i would like yellow grizzly orange grizzly and blue turquise grizzly saddles thank you jeff.
I would like to buy feathers from you guy, how can I order them
interested in buying long multi- color feathers!
Want to buy a grizzly saddle. Gift for grandfather. Can’t seem to find one. Do you have any
i am looking for long grizzly feathers..natural striped mostly. please contact me if you have in stock
I’m looking for extra long grizzly feathers do you have any in stock and if so how much
I have lots of game chickens I want to sell there feathers. How, where, or who do I contact. They have not been dyed or cleaned but figure I could make some exta money
Fellas, They don’t braid the feathers into their hair; they use a bead to attach a cluster of feathers to a small cluster of hair – an extension. Just think of it this way, us ladies are fishing too 🙂 At least a fly fisherman can appreciate the color selection and combinations, and liken himself to a worthy steelhead, or whatever his preferred catch, but chasing much better… bait? (HA)
However, it is silly that these blogs, written with concern (albeit, some tongue in cheek) for their hobby and it’s necessary supplies, are followed by comments completely dismissing the actual content, looking for feathers. Come on ladies, read. It doesn’t take that much effort to locate the affiliated shop.
Oh damn, did I just further the problem? Ah, well. Don’t worry, the trend is dying out about now – only the stragglers are still buying for hair extensions. The earrings may take another year to die out, then us ladies will move on to another means for lure. 😉
i would like to purchase a grizzly saddle. how do i do so?
Do you realize that all those ” beautiful feathers” are taken painfully from Roosters at which time the bird is killed and tossed for garbage . Isn’t there other ways that are more humane? Anyone out there have other ideas maybe the possibility of synthetic. Look at how the faux fur has been made to look real for those who feel the urge to adorn themselves with the look of animal. Thank you
Martha
Martha, is there a reason you are reading this blog if you are NOT interested in these exotic prime quality feathers?
Oh, yes, and lets NOT FORGET THE TOXICITY IN SYNTHETICS and the DYES they use. Thats all well and good for you the consumer, BUT, do you THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE OVERSEAS MAKING THEM FOR A 1$ a day, developing diseases they will never be cured of?
I AM GOIN’ FOR THE REAL DEAL, WHAT ‘BOUT YOU FELLAS?
Question: Do you ever sit in leather seats?
Have leather/suede purses? Use glue?, Heck the glue that holds your purse together! Well, everything manufactured that we utilize has come from SOME organic source if you trace each ingredient to it’s origin. Do you essentially eat or use ANYTHING god has put on this earth?
Then whatever way you look at it, you are part of our wonderful cycle of life:
THE PECKING ORDER…
Enjoy!
I am after long grizzly feathers can I find out prices and how to purchase:)
Hi There
I live in New Zealand.
Can I buy direct from you Rooster Saddle feathers
Thanks
Anita