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Feathers for Fishing Lures

Wholesale Supplier of Feathers

We have a great selection of wholesale feathers available for use as fly fishing lures. Choose from various feathers to make the best fishing lure possible. For more information about our wholesale feathers for fishing lures, please reach out to us today.

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When you reach out, we can provide you with a no-obligation consultation to go over the various feathers we have in stock. We can help you make the right decision on which type of feather you want.

Top Feathers for Fishing Lures

When making fishing lures, especially for fly fishing, the choice of feathers can significantly impact the action of the lure, its appearance, and the overall effectiveness of it. Here are the most commonly used feathers commonly used, depending on the type of lure and target species.

Turkey Feathers: Use as wings, tailing, and bodies of larger flies. Turkey feathers make for great fishing lures because they are long and durable. They are often used for mayfly patterns and wing cases.
Pheasant Tail Feathers: Great for use with nymphs like the classic Pheasant Tail Nymph. Make for perfect fishing lures due to its fine fibers, which offer a natural look and movement. Ideal for tails and bodies.
Peacock Herl: Nymphs, emergers, and some dry flies are best uses for this fishing lure. A peacock herl is great as a lure due to its iridescent sheen, which adds a lifelike shimmer.
Marabou Feathers: Great for streamers, jigs, and leech imitations. Perfect as fishing lure feather because they are soft, fluffy, and pulsate while in the water. They are also great for mimicking baitfish or leeches.
Rooster/Cock Hackle Feathers: These feathers are great because they are long, stiff, and buoyant. Perfect for creating lifelike movement and keeping dry flies afloat. Some popular types include whiting or metz rooster hackle, saddle hackle, and neck hackle.
Mallard Flank Feathers: Use for wet flies, wings, and cheeks. They make great fishing lures because the feathers are soft and speckled, which adds natural coloration and subtle motion.
Goose and Duck Quills: Use these duck and goose quills as dry fly wings and nymph bodies. They make for perfect fishing lures because the feathers are stiff, durable, and easy to shape.

5 Reasons Feathers Work for Fishing Lures

Feather can make for great accessories to fishing lures. Here are 5 reasons why using feathers on fishing lures is a smart idea.

1) Lifelike Movement

Feathers, like marabou or soft hackle, pulse and undulate in water, which resembles swimming baitfish, leeches, or insects. This soft, flowing motion is very hard to replicate with synthetic materials.

2) Natural Appearance

Many feathers have subtle colors, patterns, and translucency similar to real insects, larvae, or fish. And this natural appearance adds to their allure as a fishing lure. Speckled mallard flank feathers or iridescent peacock herls look just like insect wings or fish scales.

3) Simple Customization

Feathers for fishing lures offer simple customization. You can trim, layer, dye, and wrap these feathers to create highly specific imitations of the prey species in any body of water.

4) Buoyancy or Sinking Control

Stiff feathers, such as dry fly hackle, help a fly float on the surface and can mimic mayflies or caddis flies. Softer feathers can help the lure sink slowly or drift naturally underwater.

5) Tradition & Proven Effectiveness

Feathers have been used for centuries in fly tying and can date back to at least the 2nd century AD. The success of feathers as fishing lures is well-documented, and many classic patterns still outperform modern synthetic lures.