chas48 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 What do u use for feathers for hooks on jerkbaits? I can goto the fly department at Bass pro but is there anything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 http://www.smileyme.com/bulk-feathers-craft-feathers-wholesale-feathers.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 I buy a bulk package of chicken feathers at Michael's craft store. Some of them are unusable and most have to be trimmed but I get enough out of a package to do a couple of dozen trebles for several bucks. You can color them with sharpies if wanted and they hold up as well as any other feather species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llokkii Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 I know Hobby Lobby usually carries feathers of different types. I haven't used them yet, but I was eyeballing a few different colors this last week. Been thinking of adding a bit or feather or bucktail to some of the smaller cranks. The price wasn't too bad, but I don't know how usable they will be for what I am planning on doing with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaw Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Walmart also has craft feathers that are colored but you will have to dig through them to find usable ones. They are cheap and get you by when you don't have access to anything else. I used to use them when I tied crappie jigs because there is only one fly shop within an hours drive from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venutian_Lures Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 I use krystal flash and saddle hackle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Know any hunters in your area? Depending on what's in season, and is readily available, you might get your hands on more feathers than you can use in a lifetime. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Saddle hackle is what your looking for.It can be purchased strung or loose from fly shops.The quality of the feathers and the colors available are really good.....Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Saddle hackle is what your looking for.It can be purchased strung or loose from fly shops.The quality of the feathers and the colors available are really good.....Nathan Look on EBay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the first thing I do with a lure that has a feather is to strip the hook of all feathers. It just seems to me it really dampens the action. Maybe that is why my dry flies didn't do much good. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llokkii Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Hmm...I've actually had some really good luck with the feathered trailer hooks. Not consistent mind you, but often enough to make sure I keep a few lures with them attached. Thinking back to the last few times I really had good luck with them, it seems to me it may have been in post frontal conditions, so maybe the lure dampening action is a positive after a cold front? Just a theory. Gonna have to keep my eyes open and buckle down and take some notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 They definitely dampen the action of a crankbait. At the same time, they are an added attractor. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not. I use them on most of my LC and Megabass jerkbaits but I keep extra un-feathered trebles to change them out if they won't bite it. I tend to agree with llokkii about post frontal conditions, where a bait with muted action can be better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I use a feathered/flashabou treble on all my poppers, and most of my walking baits. I do trim the walking bait feathers until they don't inhibit the walking action. The bigger the lure, the longer the feathers I can get away with. I use very short flashabou on some of my warmer water jerkbaits, just for added flash. Because feathers move on a pause, I like longer feathers on suspending, cold weather jerkbaits that I pause for seconds at a time. I've used them on cranks, but never really noticed a difference. Bottom grinding cranks have so much erratic action from deflecting off stuff that I don't think they need feathers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venutian_Lures Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 I've never had issues with my feathered trailers dampening the actions of my baits. Then again I use the smallest/thinnest saddle hackle feathers on trailer hooks. I did find that with stiffer types of materials it WILL dampen the action of a high action bait. So if you want the action to remain the same pick out the small feathers from saddle hackle bundles. Other feathers like duck, turkey etc I would not use as trailer feathers as they are quite stiff and don't allow the bait to move like it should. Marabou might also be an option, but I use that on my jigs mostly. However it is VERY soft and breathes well in the water, so it shouldn't affect bait movement. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
