Paul's March 2024 Fly of the Month

 Marabou Black Ghost

Hook:  Mustad  79580 or 4X streamer hook of choice Size #2 - #10.

Thread:  Black Danville Flat Waxed Nylon & UTC 70 Denier.

Tail:  Yellow Schlappen/Saddle Hackle.

Rib:  Silver Mylar Tinsel. 

Body:  Black Floss.

Throat/Beard:  Yellow Schlappen/Saddle Hackle.

Wing:  White Marabou plume/feather (Optional – topped with 3-5 strands of Peacock Herl).

Head:  Black Tying Thread finished with Head Cement or Hard As Nails.

This fly is a variation of a very traditional streamer pattern.  It’s one of my favorites.  Easy to tie and very productive everywhere it’s fished.  Originally designed in the Rangeley Region for land locked Salmon and Brook Trout. 

To tie this fly place your hook in the vice and start your thread an ‘eye length’ behind the eye of the hook.  With touching wraps, wrap down to the hook point. Cut he tag end of the thread.  Now tie in your tail with approximately 20 Yellow Schlappen/Saddle Hackle fibers.  The tail should be about a ½ hook shank in length.  Don’t cut off the butt end.  

Next tie in your Silver Mylar Tinsel Rib, then your Black Floss.  Although your tie in point is where you’ve tied in your tail, the butt ends of the Tinsel and Floss should extend to where your thread starts behind the eye.  The purpose of this is to create a ‘uniform’ and even body.  You are now going to wrap your thread forward to create that even body.  Now wrap your Floss forward and tie it off behind the eye.  Palmer your Tinsel forward creating spiral wraps down the body.  Tie it off behind the eye and cut off the butt end.

Now tie in your Throat/Beard on your fly.  Again, about 20 fibers should do it.  It should be approximately slightly less than a hook shank in length.  Cut off the butt ends once your Throat is secured.  Next, prepare your White Marabou by stroking it rearward.  You may want to dampen it a little bit.  Measure it against the hook shank so that it extends about ½ way down the tail.  Using the ‘pinch’ method, secure your wing down behind the eye.  Cut off the butt end of the Marabou.  Using your thread, create a uniform head for your fly.  Whip finish and apply head cement or ‘Hard as Nails’ to the head of the fly.  

Dressed Irons has a great instructional video on how to tie this fly below:

If you have any questions about this fly or would like to submit a Fly of The Month I can be reached at pdinice@frontier.com .