25 Apr Fly Fishing Feathers for Hair

Grizzly Saddle Hackle is no longer just for Griffith’s Gnats – you’re apparently supposed to put it in your hair!

Meow!!!...ahem, I mean cock-a-doodle-hair-do

I’m bald. An unfortunate situation that necessitates that I use ample amounts of sunblock on my melon and means that I don’t pay any attention whatsoever to trends in hair styles. I simply don’t have the option of a hair style, except a comb-over I guess, and I’m not that patient, or desperate. However, when the price of Grizzly Saddle Hackles goes up significantly, and hairstylists show up to do battle at my local fly shop, I’m forced to take notice of these things.

Feather Hair Extensions are Hot!

Yes, people are putting feathers in their hair. Luckily, I have a good stock of saddle hackle (up for sale btw) and I don’t watch trendy TV, so I had no idea that a feathered-hair comeback was even possible. Why would anyone ever think it was? However, it’s true, putting feathers in your hair is a really big deal these days. The trend is literally (actually figuratively) huge! And it’s widespread and far reaching, affecting all facets of society. Ok, it hasn’t actually gotten so bad as to become stylish for men, although Steven Tyler of American Idol does it. But he does a lot of things. I just won’t walk that way, Steven. Dream on dude, dream on.

The Battle of the Hackle Isle (actually “Aisle,” but that’s just not as heroic sounding)

Someone named Selena Gomez wearing feathers like they were meant for something other than flies!

I’ve actually read a few stories about salon owners making runs on their local fly shops and bullying fly shop owners into selling them all of the saddle hackle they can find. You know how tough salon owners can be. Not even the toughest mafia thugs dare to oppose a committed salon owner hell bent on gathering chicken feathers. Some fly shops are now fighting back by limiting the numbers of saddle hackles a customer can buy in hopes that a few actually go to fly tyers. In response to such policies, the tactics have turned dirty. Turns out most of these “fly tyers” in fly shops these days are actually dudes commissioned (bribed w medicinal marijuana) by salon owners to act like fly tyers. How do you tell who’s real and who’s a poser? Ask them what they’ve been catching them on. Number one answer amongst the fake tyers – Monster Wingzits in size Large or 17, almost always with cheese.

Dream on!

Whiting Farms, the number one producer of fine fly tying hackles, is pretty much inundated with phone calls from salons. I can just hear them: “Uh so, yeah (gum pops) like, do you have any of those featherssssssssses, like, you know that you like make into (gum pops) weaves. Like J-Love wears you know. They, are soooooo hot. Like you know, I saw that nasty old lady from American Idol even has them.”

Hoard your fly tying feathers while there’s still time!

For the normally obscenely traditional and below the radar world of fly fishing this is a pandemic of attention. It’s plain craziness! Some enterprising fly tyer with even an inkling of social skills, fashion sense, and personal hygiene (hypothetical situation of course) could really make it big on the back of this trend. They could even make it onto the Celebrity Apprentice.

Well, I’m off to hoard my grizzly saddle hackles (read: list it on E-bay) and I suggest that all fly tyers get your saddle hackles while you still can. I hear Mylie Cyrus, Taylor Swift, and Steven Tyler are possibly on tour – there won’t be any grizzly hackles (or lipstick in Steven’s case) left on local shelves once they tornado through your town.

Jake Ricks
Co-owner/Guide
Utah Fly Guides