Silver Darter
My number two all time favorite streamer pattern. You can never go wrong with a badger winged streamer when fishing a trout stream. I like to tie this one on the small side, this example being a "middle of the road" size. The orignal pattern called for a tail made from slips from a silver pheasant wing quill. I leave this off my fishing flies.
Tying instructions:
- Using a white thread, form a smooth underbody as you wrap back toward the bend.
- Tie in a length of mylar tinsel on the far underside of the hook silver side down to serve as ribbing.
- Return thread to the head area and tie in a length of white floss.
- Wrap the floss to the bend and back to the head, forming a smooth body. The original pattern from Lew Oatman called for a body that had a definite taper, almost an elongated teardrop shape. To accomplish this, build up the shape as an underbody using a heavy thread like Danville's Flymaster + or Flat Waxed Nylon and then wrap the floss over the underbody as you normally would. I usually do not bother with this step.
- Tie in a few peacock sword feathers for the throat. Try to position them so they curve upward toward the fly's body.
- Select a pair of match silver badger hackles from a chinese neck and tie them in on top of the throat windings.
- Tie a jungle cock eye on each side of the wings. Use a fairly small eye.
- Wrap a neat head and whip finish.