Parmachene Belle
This fly is named after the Parmachene Lake and was first tied by Henry
P. Wells in the late 1800s. A very popular fly in North America. It is not
so popular in Great Britain, but tied on a size-8 hook it has caught many
sea trout in Devon. In Scandinavia, it is often used for brook trout. It
is sometimes fished dry in a very small size.
Hooks: Down-eyed 10 - 14
Thread: Black
Tail: Married strands of red and white goose
Butt (optional): Black ostrich
herl
Body: Lemon-yellow floss or
wool
Ribbing: Gold tinsel
Hackle: Mixed white and red
Wing: Married strands of red
and white goose or duck
Head: Black
This fly has what is termed as a built wing. The individual fibre of
every feather is joined to its neighbour by a series of minute hooks (one
could almost say a 'Velcro' system). This natural linking can be used to
join feathers of different colours to build a composite wing.
1.
Prepare the wings first. Select a right-side white goose or duck quill
and a red-dyed similar feather. From the white feather, cut off two slim
slips. From the red feather, cut off one slim slip. Hold the tips of these
slips gently between thumb and finger and with the thumb and finger of
the other hand stroke the feathers together. You will find that they will
naturally adhere to one another. Now repeat this operation with a left-side
feather and you have the wings ready. |
Parmachene Belle
2.
The whole operation can be repeated with narrower slips to form the tail
of the fly. However, some patterns
dispense with the built tail and use a bunch of red and white hackle
fibres for the tail, as shown here.
3.
Take the tying thread down to the bend of the hook and tie in the married
slips of goose or the hackle fibres for the tail. At the same point, tie
in a length of gold tinsel and some black ostrich herl.
4.
Form a butt with the ostrich herl. Take the thread back down the hook and
tie in a length of yellow floss. |
5.
Form the body by winding the floss down the hook shank and back. Follow
this with the rib. Cut away surplus.
6.
Next stage is the hackle. Stroke the dyed red and white hacHe fibres below
the hook, tie off, and remove the surplus feather.
7.
Now pick up the wing slips and tie in on top of the hook. Finish the fly
with a whip finish in the usual way.Buy it Now! |
