Partridge and Orange Soft Hackle

This week’s Throw Back Thursday Fly is the Partridge and Orange Soft Hackle.

Soft hackles are an old style of fly and were developed before Izaak Walton wrote the Compleat Angler in 1653. I’ve used various versions of soft hackles and eventually developed the RiverKeeper Soft Hackle Cripple and fish it as a dry fly. Others have developed a similar version, but I came upon it honestly by trial and error.

My friend Jeff Perin from The Fly Fisher’s Place in Sisters, Oregon uses this Partridge and Orange Soft Hackle in lakes. And try a Partridge and Purple as well.

Think I’ll give it a try in East Lake in a couple of days.