Powell's Squashed Beetle

[joaniebo]

I was going to post this under the "Leisenring Hackles" subject but decided not to hijack another's posting.

Fly dressings with a peacock body (green, bronze, etc.) are some of my favorite flies to tie and fish (my VERY favorite being Edmonds' & Lee's 8b March Brown). Whether with a wet or dry fly hackle, with or without tails (think of a Red Tag, Orange Tag, Coch-y-Bonddu, etc.), the allure of peacock herl to fish is pretty much undeniable.

A year or so ago, while fishing MIchigan's AuSable River, I was fishing my versions of an Egg Laying Caddis and Red A _ _ soft hackles and, within a few minutes of each other, caught two browns and then two Brookies at the same time on my dropper and point flies.

My fly boxes are filled with peacock bodied and peacock thoraxed soft hackles!

Bob

PS - In Christopher Knowles book "Orange Otter", the Reverand Edard Powell's "Squashed Beetle" dressing is mentioned / described quite a few times. The iridescence of a starling hackle with the peacock herl combine to make a very attractive dressing.

[Old Hat]

Excellent! Those would take fish anywhere on globe.

[letumgo]

Man those are pretty! I love the proportions you’ve used. You’ve got such a great style.

[FlyFisherMann1955]

Bob,

What material did you use for the tail and what is the color name?

Also, is there a small-guage wire rib hidden in your peacock body
to provide durability?

Thanks- Ken

[joaniebo]

Ken

I used small pieces of red and yellow wool tied one on top of the other and then the point of a dubbing needle to separate the wool fibers until the two wools made an orange color tail. Described in the "Orange Otter" book as: "Loose longish wisp of yellowish-orange wool to suggest the protruding viscera about the color of the flesh, not the rind, of an orange."

And, yes, I used a small gold wire to reinforce the peacock herl body with several turns of a starling hackle. Hope this info helps.

Bob

[SenecaLaker]

Nicely done Bob, I really like the effect of your starling hackle. A few questions for you. Is the starling tied in by the tip or the base of the feather? and do you you wrap to the front or to the back? I have tried a few times to replicate the hackle as shown and have been unsuccessful. Any insight as to your process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Dave

[joaniebo]

Nicely done Bob, I really like the effect of your starling hackle. A few questions for you. Is the starling tied in by the tip or the base of the feather? and do you you wrap to the front or to the back? I have tried a few times to replicate the hackle as shown and have been unsuccessful. Any insight as to your process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Dave

Dave

A little (maybe more than a little) explanation on how I tie in hackles, including starling.

Virtually all the game bird / non- hen hackles I use are tied in by the tips with the concave side of the hackle facing away from me towards the top of the hook, with the butt pointing towards the hook eye. I then lift up the hackle butt with hackle pliers and move my tying thread to the front of the hackle close to the hook eye. Most hen hackles are tied in by the butt, but not always, depending on the thickness of the hackle stem / butt.

I then do several hackle turns ( I subscfribe to the theory of using heavier / longer hackles) before securing the hackle with my tying thread. With silks, I usually do a 5 turn whip finish. With synthetic threads, I do a 3 turn whip finish and then another 4 or 5 turn whip finish before snipping off the thread.

I use Fly-Tite head cement on all the flies after doing a whip finish. Hope this info helps.

Bob

PS - With starling and some game bird hackles, I really like the fuzziness of the hackles near the butt and often tie in the hackle by the tip and wind until I use up the fuzzy part of the hackle, especially when I tie the Black Magic North County Spider.

[SenecaLaker]

Thanks for the quick response Bob. It clarified things alot. I will try that approach this evening and report back.
Keep me posted if you get a chance to fish Michigan's Ausable River. I would love a chance to meet up with you.

Dave

[joaniebo]

Dave

Hope the info works for you. Right now, my TU buddy and I plan on being your way the first week in June. Will be staying at a friend's place in Roscommon. Cheers

Bob