For those who have followed us on social media they know how much we love the color purple in tying and fishing flies.  This is our spin on the Purple and Starling Western Soft Hackle, or Purple Snipe.  This pattern has been around for a vey long time, and is just as effective today as it always has been.  Traditionally this pattern is tied with a purple silk thread.  Silk thread has some very cool characteristics, and changes when it is waxed just before tying.  With our version we are going to use Semperfli Classic Waxed Thread 12/0, and create a small tapered body.  We really like a slight taper to our body, and creating a rib to the fly by using a grey alcohol marker and using the Mill Spec method inspired by Clark Pierce of Fly Fish Food. 

 

Starling is a beautiful feather to tie soft hackles with.  It will give you a beautifully sparse hackled fly, with absolutely tremendous action.  Its barbs will flow effortlessly creating movement that will trigger fish to feed, and strike.  We enjoy taking these traditional patterns that have stood the test of time, and putting our modern spin on them.  We believe they are equally effective in its traditional form, as with our take on it.  What we do like about our take is the more natural body characteristics,  addition of the rib segmentation without adding bulk, and the hot spot head.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts on this pattern, and how it performed for you.  It is important when tying these that you do not tie all the way back the hook, as it is a short body.  This can create a difficulty in not crowding the eye of the hook.  Proportions are always important when tying, but crucial on this pattern.

 

Fly Tying Materials

Hook: Moonlit Competition Barbless Hook ML052 sz10-18

Thread/Body: Semperfli Classic Waxed Purple 12/0 (Watch your proportions on the body and stop short of the bend of the hook.)

Rib: Stamp in Up Alcohol Marker Grey

Thorax: Peacock Herl (you can substitute Vicuna UV Carp Peacock) 

Hackle: Starling

Head: Semperfli Classic Waxed Fluoro Yellow 12/0 and Solarez Thin Hard UV

 

Other Blogs You May Be Interested

Adams Cripple Pattern

Parachute Adams 

Purple Haze Soft Hackle Bead Head Nymph

Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle Bead Head Nymph

Guide Series Fluoro Orange Royal Wulff Variant

 

Other Videos You May Enjoy

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