Rhode Island Red

The official state bird of Rhode Island, this is a dual purpose layer/meat breed. They are good natured hardy breed, perfect for the back yard fancier.

The orgin of this breed can be traced back to Adamsville, Rhode Island when a black breasted malay cock bird was imported from England. This single bird is the father of the breed and is currently on display at the Smithsonian.

Roosters will weigh in at 8.5 pounds, hens 6.5 pounds. Hens are exceptional layers, 250 - 300 brown eggs each year.

Rhode Island Red

Tying with Rhode Island Red Quills

The quill from the Rhode Island Red rooster is called for in tying the Red Quill. This fly is used to immitate two seperate mayfly hatches, one in the spring, the other later in the summer.

Somewhere along the way, a tyer realized that wrapping the stem of a neck feather around a hook produced just the right look and shape to immitate this fly. The color was perfect, and the taper gives the body of the fly just the right shape.

The first step is to strip the barbs from the stem. The quills then will have two shades of brown that when tyed produce the segmented appearence on the thorax of a fly. Although you can buy packages of already stripped quills, capes have more flexible quills and a better range of sizes.


Rhode Island Red Rooster Capes	$35.00
Quill Body Cape The Gordon Dry Fly is a true classic. It has not changes since Theodore Gordon designed it to fish the Catskills back at end of the 19th century. No other material better immitates the segmented thorax than the tappered quill of a feather from a Rhode Island Red Cape. The color is perfect and the taper is just right. The stems on todays genetic hackle are far to thin to give your fly the cigar shape you see in the picture. Available in both full and 1/2 capes. Full Cape - $35.00 To order select a color; Half Cape - $20.00 To order select a color;
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Rhode Island Red Hen Feathers	$20.00
Hen Cape These are some beautiful soft hackle hen capes. You'll find noting better for tying the collar on a prince nymph of a pass lake. Hen Saddle The feathers on these saddles are wide, webby, and soft. They are much larger than on the capes and the fibers are much softer. These too are available in both the distinctive rich brown that is typical of the Rhode Island Red coloration as well as the lighter colors pictured on the right. This light ginger color is very popular. To order select a color;
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Quill Gordon

Medium

Light

The deep color, strong constitution, and relatively hard feathers of this breed results from the influence of this malay blood.

Rhode Island Red Hen Cape

Hen Cape - Light

Rhode Island Red Hen Saddle

Hen Saddle - Light