Partridge and Orange Soft Hackle

The Partridge and Orange is one of the oldest and most enduring soft‑hackle patterns in fly fishing. Originating in England centuries ago, it has earned a reputation for simplicity, elegance, and remarkable effectiveness on trout, grayling, and even salmon.
This traditional wet fly is incredibly versatile. It can be fished as a classic soft hackle just under the surface, swung through riffles, dead‑drifted like a nymph, or even allowed to skate or lift to suggest an emerging insect. Its sparse orange body and mottled partridge hackle create a lifelike pulse in the water, making it especially effective in fast currents, pocket water, and broken riffles where movement and suggestion matter more than detail.
A true staple of traditional wet‑fly fishing, the Partridge and Orange has produced fish for generations—and continues to do so wherever trout feed on emerging or drifting insects.