Description
Hoffman/Whiting Hen Capes
Whether it’s a hen cape with narrower feathers and partially webby feathers or a hen saddle with full web, Whiting Hen feathers make perfect collars and legs for your nymphs.
Backstory
From the mid 1960’s until 1989 Henry Hoffman of Warrenton, Oregon devoted his life to producing the best dry fly hackle in the world. His primary motivation was an all-consuming, life-long love of fishing.
After 5 years or so of trying to sell his business Henry Hoffman eventually got a workable deal created with Thomas Whiting of Colorado. Tom was then finishing his Ph.D. at the University of Arkansas, and also had an M.S. degree from the University of Georgia and a B.S. degree from Colorado State University, always specializing in his particular areas of interest – poultry genetics and husbandry. In addition Tom had considerable industrial poultry experience, i.e., managing a commercial egg production complex in Colorado that produced 3 million eggs per week. Henry agreed to consult for 5 years to transfer his knowledge and to initially preserve continuity in the breeding program. Whiting chose western Colorado to set up the new venture, and in April 1989 hatched out his first Hoffman Hackle chicks there from eggs sent to him by Henry from Oregon. From about 5,000 birds that first year (1989) to over 60,000 birds harvested in 2015, Whiting Farms has risen to become the largest and dominant fly tying feather producer in the world market.
