Upon asking people in the fly tying world what a schlappen feather actually is, I have received numerous blank stares. From my understanding, it is a transitional feather between the saddle and the tail of a rooster. Unlike the tail, the rachis is narrow like a saddle feather. Unlike the saddle, it is all web, like a tail feather. Length of feather and of barb will vary a great deal.

My first introduction to schlappen came through Bill Hunter years ago. He suggested using it for throats on feather-wing and hair-wing Salmon flies primarily as false hackles. My preference has been to wrap them tip first and folded. Others have suggested a variety of applications and techniques, some of which we will discuss.

When using schlappen as a throat, if wrapped, you will find numerous advantages over neck hackles. First, there is generally a fairly consistent barb length and a very fine rachis. Also, they are soft of barb and fairly flat so that when folded and wrapped there is usually little crossover effect of barbs as seen with folded waterfowl and guinea feathers. A disadvantage is the opacity of color they create due to their fullness of barbules (web). Some prefer to tie them in by the tip and wrap, but first strip the side that would normally be folded over. This may not resolve the opacity problem, but the possibility of a crossover effect can be eliminated, and depending on the feather, result in a more swept look to the throat. A possible disadvantage to consider is that more room will be required for the rachis to achieve the necessary fullness. Several tiers have been bleaching schlappen. This removes the barbules, giving the look of neck hackle without the taper of barbs and larger stem diameter.

Some have used schlappen bleached and folded, or unbleached with one side stripped for body hackles. All it requires is careful selection of a well-tapered, fairly short feather. It gives an interesting effect on some bodies, but the inherent sparkle of a neck or saddle feather won't be there, bleached or not.

If you wish to bleach, bear in mind that it is not an exact science. Be sure to dilute the bleach at least 50% with water. Also, have vinegar and/or baking soda-and-water solution at hand before you begin. Some dyed feathers during bleaching will bleed a bit, depending on how they were dyed and what color. Experiment with a few feathers, possibly one at a time, before attempting any in quantity. Try various amounts of time (one feather at 10 seconds, then another at 20, then 30, etc.) the whole while agitating the feather(s). Check your results by removing the feather from the bleach and immediately placing them in the neutralizing solution, agitate, then wash in warm soapy water, rinse and blot dry. To finish drying, a blow dryer works fine, or consider dipping the feather in acetone for instant results. Then wrap the bleached feathers on hooks to see which amount of bleaching time gives the look you prefer.

Generally, schlappen is purchased pre-dyed but is readily available strung, off-white in color for your dying pleasure. Some strings will have feathers fairly long and gradually tapered or possibly 2" to 3" shorter with typically rounded tips. In either, you will find feathers of different taper, some variance in amount of web and a variety of barb lengths. (A few tiers have been known to use it as a heron substitute.) Some will have stems that are objectionably large to wrap. Save those feathers for false-hackled hair-wings, streamers and wet flies. Also, any of the schlappen feathers will be found useful in a variety of bass and saltwater flies as well.