"I think I fish, in part, because it's an anti-social, bohemian business that, when gone about properly, puts you forever outside the mainstream culture without actually landing you in an institution" - John Gierach
Starling Caddis Size 20
"What's that fly you're using" I said after friend Lenny one October day landed his 6th bow from the riffles below the Duck Pond. "YOUR GREY CADDIS" he said! Seems I had written about this fly in a blog post years ago after another friend Ric introduced the pattern to me at the confluence of the Deerfield and the Cold Rivers. I used it with some success but after a while forgot about it. Lenny didn't forget about it and that's why I now carry it. It works best in small sizes, 18 through 24.
Hook - standard dry fly hook
Body - any grey dubbing. I used to use rabbit and muskrat and still do but the fly in the photo has a body of a synthetic grey material with some glitter added to it. I like it.
Hackle - Starling on a small fly like this
Head - one turn of thin peacock (yes, it's very similar to my DMS Caddis)
I call it a caddis but I believe that it is of the right profile and size to imitate many insects especially the BWO. Work it in the riffles this Autumn.
Starling And Olive
Here's an other one that's dirt simple to tie and is very effective in sizes 18 through 24, the smaller the better.
Two layers of 12/0 olive thread and one starling hackle. Yes, use it at the beginning of a BWO hatch.
Hook Styles
I was asked this weekend why I tie my soft hackles on dry fly hooks and not heavier wet fly hooks. The answer is simple. I don't need the heavier gauge wire of a wet fly hook to get the fly down. Mending will do that. It also means I don't have to carry wet fly hooks in a full range of sizes. If I really need to get the fly down then micro shot is the answer.
I thought I was pretty much alone on this until I saw that one fly tying star ( I think it may have been Kelly Galloup) gave up on wet fly hooks a while ago for the same reasons.
The Rivers
The Swift - 124 cfs. If we get real rain this flow will drop down to the 60's which is my favorite flow.
The Millers is at 35 cfs and the EB is at 17 cfs. Enough said.
Book Me
The Swift is the game right now and I can get you away from the crowds!!!!!!!
Ken
9 comments:
Good morning Ken, it was a pleasure speaking with you on Saturday at the Swift (I'm the guy with the Hardy Cascapedia reel). I didn't realize at the time that you were this "Ken" -funny, I've lurked here for a while and I enjoy your writing and perspective. I am a big fan of Starling soft hackles, especially in the autumn on the Swift. The iridescence of the feather is wonderful and it's surprising to me how many tyers seem to overlook them. On certain flies, when the color permits I have used white tipped Starling as cheeks in place of Jungle Cock and the fish don't seem to care. The good news is that it looks like we are finally going to get a little rain this week. Hopefully our weather pattern will turn to one more favorable for October river fishing.
Regards,
Dean
Dean,
Thank you for the comment. I think that starling is overlooked because it's better suited for smaller flies AND because it is hard to use for many fly tiers. Winding this hackle, for many, is like trying to defuse a bomb. One false move and it's over. Everyone should keep working these hackles because they are great and they are cheap! JUNGLE COCK REPLACEMENT - GOOD IDEA!!!
Ken
Small wets were a savior during a baetis hatch on the Madison last week. I could barely get them to take a dry but the wet scored three fish in the demanding meadow section of the Madison in YNP. I even got one on my smallest partidge and yellow #18 as well as starling and purple #20. Unfortunately that was the only baetis hatch we saw...the weather was too bright except for that one drizzly afternoon.
Just thought I'd share my two cents here when it comes to tiny SH flies (#20 and smaller) its very easy to crowd the eye of the hook so I like to put the hackle back a bit and also I don't palmer it onto the shank but simply tie a small tuft of feathers
Nice "ode too" Ken. Starling is a great material for sure!
I'm joining in the Rain Dance... Hope we get a bit tonight/tomorrow...
Hibernation (Will)
They say it's a big rain tonight. I am really hoping for that. Starling rules for smaller wets!
Paul Fay,
I also push things back on smaller flies. Starling, because it is so small, ma that easy. Two turns of hackle and that's it.
BobT,
Tied and fish my first starling and purple this morning and took five brookies with it. Size 20 also. Wish that I had cst it in the Rockies!!
Ken
with no rain in the forecast out there (sound familiar); the baetis will be on hold for a couple weeks. I'd like to be tossing my hopper / beetle combo that was quite fun-streamers in the morning but not much caddis or mayfly activity until things get snotty-same as here I suppose. I may try the hopper beetle here for giggles
Finally, it's pouring out!!!
GW
Hopper beetle combo works great on the swift!
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