Crow Fly
Smoky Mountain Blackbird
Crow Fly
L. J. DeCuir provides the recipe for the Smoky Mountain Blackbird in his book – Southeastern Flies (2001). He notes that the Blackbird fly is tied with a peacock herl body and with a split feather of a blackbird in a similar manner to tying the Yellarhammer. Coincidentally, Roger Lowe provides a similar recipe for the Crow Fly in his book – Fly Pattern Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains (2001). He notes that the Crow Fly is tied like the original Yellarhammer except with a split wing crow feather. With only minor differences, both recipes call for a peacock herl body and a split “blackbird” feather. The most available commercial substitute for protected blackbirds or gamebird crows is the starling feath
DeCuir notes that these fly patterns are “usually fished in the mountains of the Southeast like most heavily weighted nymphs.” At least by the late-1700s, long before dry fly patterns were utilized in the Southern Appalachians, the native American Cherokee likely tied this fly pattern along with the Yellarhammer (using the yellow Norther Flicker bird feather) and the Deer Hair (a wrapped sliver of deer hide with the body hairs attached). These fly patterns were observed and documented in the late-1700s by Lawson. The local Indians greased the fly to float as well as fishing it wet. It is likely that other bird feather of other colors was also utilized. One can only speculate as to what names were given to these fly patterns that originated many centuries ago.
Fly of the Month 03.20
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
References:
Lowe, Roger. Roger Lowe’s Fly Pattern Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains, 2005.
Crow Fly
L. J. DeCuir provides the recipe for the Smoky Mountain Blackbird in his book – Southeastern Flies (2001). He notes that the Blackbird fly is tied with a peacock herl body and with a split feather of a blackbird in a similar manner to tying the Yellarhammer. Coincidentally, Roger Lowe provides a similar recipe for the Crow Fly in his book – Fly Pattern Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains (2001). He notes that the Crow Fly is tied like the original Yellarhammer except with a split wing crow feather. With only minor differences, both recipes call for a peacock herl body and a split “blackbird” feather. The most available commercial substitute for protected blackbirds or gamebird crows is the starling feath
DeCuir notes that these fly patterns are “usually fished in the mountains of the Southeast like most heavily weighted nymphs.” At least by the late-1700s, long before dry fly patterns were utilized in the Southern Appalachians, the native American Cherokee likely tied this fly pattern along with the Yellarhammer (using the yellow Norther Flicker bird feather) and the Deer Hair (a wrapped sliver of deer hide with the body hairs attached). These fly patterns were observed and documented in the late-1700s by Lawson. The local Indians greased the fly to float as well as fishing it wet. It is likely that other bird feather of other colors was also utilized. One can only speculate as to what names were given to these fly patterns that originated many centuries ago.
Fly of the Month 03.20
Tom Adams and Alen Baker
References:
Lowe, Roger. Roger Lowe’s Fly Pattern Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains, 2005.
Crow Fly
Hook : Mustad 3906 12,14,16
Thread : Black 8/0 Uni
Body : Peacock Herl
Hackle : Primary or Tail Crow or Starling feather
Tail : Crow/Starling barbules
Directions :
Hook : Mustad 3906 12,14,16
Thread : Black 8/0 Uni
Body : Peacock Herl
Hackle : Primary or Tail Crow or Starling feather
Tail : Crow/Starling barbules
Directions :
- Mount the hook in the vise after crushing the hook barb.
- Begin thread wraps three eyelengths from eye and take tight and touching turns to the point above the hook barb. Select six to eight barbules from primary or tail crow feather and strip from the stem. Tie in at the hook bend and maintain the barbs on top of the hook shank take the thread forward to the thorax. Wrap the thread back to the hook bend making an even abdomen and let the bobbin hang
- Select a primary Crow or Starling feather. When choosing the feather keep in mind the length of the barbs relative to the hook size. Only one side of the stem will be used. After removing the feather from the skin, pull the unwanted barbs from the stem. Using a new razor blade (carefully) begin cutting the stem in half, starting at the base of the feather, once the blade begins cutting, take your time and continue as far up as possible. As the stem gets thinner it does become more difficult, but, this is not as hard as it is intimidating. Keep in mind, four or five turns of feather is all that will be needed.
- Tie the Crow/Starling in, by the tip, at the hook bend take the thread to two or three eyelenghts from the eye and let the bobbin hang.
- Select two Peacock herls and tie in by the tips ( after trimming the first very delicate section away) and begin tight touching turns to where the bobbin is hanging. Tie off and trim away any waste. Let the bobbin hang
- Advance the Crow/Starling toward the eye in open turns, being careful to not trap barbs as you go. Four or five turns is sufficient. Tie in and trim the waste and form a thread head. Whip finish to complete the fly.