Metz Feather & Hackle Fly Tying Material Guide

After nearly three decades as fly-fishing's leading purveyor of the highest quality genetic dry fly hackle, Metz continues to produce premium hackle for all of your fly-tying needs and Troutcatchers are delighted to be a leading Worldwide Metz supplier complimenting its range of over 4,000 quality Fly Tying Materials.

Early pioneers of genetic engineering techniques, Metz selected and raised stock specifically for hackle production. An industry leader, Metz produces its high quality fly-tying hackle in the heart of Pennsylvania USA among the historical roots of fly-fishing, Metz is grounded in fly-tying heritage.

Metz Cock & Hen Hackles, a name synonymous with quality, and a team dedicated to service, Metz is determined to move fly-tying to the next level of excellence, in fact they are so good Turrall use them extensively for their huge range of Award Winning Flies of which you can purchase on the troutcatcher site. 

Picture Credits Julie Ellis

Metz Cock Saddles have much longer feathers which tend to be in the larger sizes, so if you are tying lots of dries in sizes 10 & 12 then a saddle can offer good value for money.  The main attraction of a saddle feather is that you can tie 4 or 5 flies from one feather.

Recently challenging to source as the market for these feathers went crazy (along with Microbarb Saddles); people saw Steven Tyler (lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith) wearing feathers in his hair on American Idol and everyone had to have them, the market for these Feather Hair Extensions is still red hot, however availability is now returning to normal as supplies have improved which is great news for the Fly Tyer (though some colours are still rare). 

Metz Saddles are available in two grades, Metz Cock Saddles Grade 1 and Metz Cock Saddles Grade 2, with the Grade 1 providing more feathers that are longer in length.

Metz now offer magnum necks and saddles which are still from the cock bird but have much wider, more webby feathers that are perfect for tying larger flies for salmon, pike and saltwater flies.

As with the regular cock hackles the necks have shorter feathers in many different sizes and so are perfect for salmon flies in sizes from 4 to 10.  These are also available is dyed colours that are popular in many salmon patterns.

The saddles are used for large pike and saltwater streamer patterns and for the tails in deceiver type patterns.

Metz Hen Saddles, as with the cock bird the saddle feathers are wider and are perfect for some of the new age tube flies and soft hackle salmon flies.

The feathers can also be used as the side feathers in lure patterns such as Mrs Simpson.

Quick Link to Metz Hen Saddles