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The Dark Needle

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:05 pm
by upstatetrout
Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 16.
Silk. Pearsalls Gossamer sherry spinner #6b.
Head. Magpie Herl.
P_20200319_123851.jpg
P_20200319_123851.jpg (125.36 KiB) Viewed 3109 times
Hackle. Brownish Starling wing joint feather.
Body. Sherry spinner

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2020 11:05 pm
by Ron Eagle Elk
Stunning! Beautiful wee head of magpie herl.

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:38 am
by redietz
Looks great!

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 7:43 am
by daringduffer
Did you tie in the herl first?

dd

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:47 am
by upstatetrout
Yes the Herl is tied in first then the Hackle is tied in and wrapped back towards the bend then the body and finally whip finished behind the Hackle. Not the easiest method but there should not be any head on the fly other than the Herl.

Tom

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 9:38 am
by Theroe
upstatetrout wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:05 pm Hook. Daiichi 1480 size 16.
Silk. Pearsalls Gossamer sherry spinner #6b.
Head. Magpie Herl.P_20200319_123851.jpg
Hackle. Brownish Starling wing joint feather.
Body. Sherry spinner
Nice Tom - One of my favorites. I use that fly quite a bit on the Beaverkill.

Dana

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 1:02 pm
by PhilA
Those herl-headed wingless wets are a bear to tie neatly. Well done. --Phil

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2020 2:04 pm
by daringduffer
upstatetrout wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2020 8:47 am Yes the Herl is tied in first then the Hackle is tied in and wrapped back towards the bend then the body and finally whip finished behind the Hackle. Not the easiest method but there should not be any head on the fly other than the Herl.

Tom
That's the way other clever tiers tie them too. Nice hackle!

dd

Re: The Dark Needle

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 9:06 pm
by DOUGSDEN
Tom,
Your pattern above is quite stunning! I like the magpie hurl at the head! Very buggy looking pattern overall! For some strange reason (and this is assuming my little speckled darlings are basically pigs at heart) this pattern has not been well received! I have fished it all season long. It just doesn't seem to garner much interest! I cannot explain this! Any thoughts on why?
Dougsden