Patterns that use Starling

All about flies Fly Tying
1

I picked up a starling skin at the shop yesterday. I wanted it for soft hackles mostly. What other flies other than softies use starling in them

Thanks
WWFF

2

I like the wing quills for BWO dries .

3

They do make great soft hackles plus I have used them to make up some buggers on size 14 streamer hooks. Also, legs on Hares Ear and Pheasant Tail nymphs. Just forget about them being called a Starlin feather and look at them as feathers and then think about different fly patterns that you use feathers in and down size the pattern. You might just surprise yourself on what you come up with plus you could create something that the fish really like and have not seen yet. Just let your mind go and have fun.

4

Thanks so far. I haven’t tied with it yet but hope to do so later on today.

5

Baille’s Black Spider
Hook: 12-16, Tying thread: Brown silk heavily waxed til almost black, Hackle: a glossy feather from the neck of a male starling palmered halfway down the body, Body: tying silk.

Little Black Spider
Hook 14-18, Thread: Purple waxed, Hackle: a glossy feather from the neck of a male starling palered halfway down the body, Body: Tying silk lightly dubbed with magpie herl (I sub blue eared pheasant dyed black herl for this) To dub the silk with herl, tie in the herl and wrap it around the tying silk in open wraps.

Starling Bloa
Hook: 14-18, Thread: Primrose silk waxed, Hackle: Palest starling undercovert feather, Body: Tying silk though a white tying silk body is sometimes used. The fly is much improved with a small thorax of the palest hare’s ear fur dubbed behind the thorax. Head: An optional head of peacock herl may be used or tying silk.

Dotterel Dun (Starling subbed for true Dotterel)
Hook: 14-18, Thread: Primrose silk lightly waxed, Hackle: A light mottled starling feather with a brown tinge to it (usually found under the wing), Body: Tying silk lightly dubbed with light hare’s ear dubbing. Dub a little more heavily behind the hackle to form a thorax.

The above recipes are from A Handbook of North Country Trout Flies by Roger Fogg.

Hope these will keep you busy for a while.

REE

6

Hey Ron, I see you’ve become a right old Foggy. :lol:

7

Aye, Donald, and I consider that a compliment of very high order. Thanks again for the heads up on that book. I love it. I also have been tying on Daiichi 1640’s. Very nice hook. I’ll be posting some fly pics prett soon.

REE