soft hackle material--starling?

[flyty]

I was thinking of tying some soft hackle flies, but those partridge skins are expensive. Can you use starling?

[Jason]

I got a full partridge skin for $15 which will probably last me another 10 years. They're not that expensive. Go for a full skin for sure. As for Starling, I don't know anything about them. Could work though.

[flyty]

$15?? Where? They're something like $28 at WR.

[Ouzel]

Buy the bags @ $2.00 ea. - works fine as you need very little for each fly - sparser the better.
Webby grizzly saddle hackle for wet flies also works.

Off hand, you would need to call a few shops to find Starling; either that, or talk to 10 year old boys with BB guns.

[MOKE]

I use starling all the time and love it.
It is a great source of soft hackle for smaller flies.
Problem......No color variaitions. All dark gray and black.

MOKE

[mike b]

depends on what kind of soft hackles you want to tie. starling is
good for peacock and starling s.h. and purple(SILK) and starling.
the gray can be used for small blue wing olive s.h.
say that, most soft hackle patterns call for the gray or the mottled
brown from a partidge. rather than use a lower quality skin, go
to someone like blue ribbon flyshop in west yellowstone and
pay the 25 bucks and get a good skin. you will be able to tie
to size 18 with that.