The use of marabou in the construction of streamer flies dates back to the early 1920's. It was A.W. Ballou of Litchfield Maine who created the "Ballou Special"...now I know many feel that the "Woolly Bugger" was the first fly to feature marabou and the reason may be that the woolly bugger is so famous because of its effectiveness and ease of tying. I love using marabou in many of my flies from streamers to caddis, and a few soft-hackles. You can see the three marabou streamers in the above picture that feature this "alive" feather. The two on each end are "McKay Specials", and the one in the middle is a Mickey Finn.
The McKay Special was created by Kevin McKay of Maine. The fly is a simple fly to construct and uses inexpensive readily available materials. The body can be tied using Uni stretch or Uni yarn, with a silver tinsel rib. Each fly has a red throat and tail and white marabou wing. The fly is deadly.
The "Famous Grouse"...I think that may be Scotch whiskey, not a soft-hackle. But this Grouse flymph gets the job done.
Common guys...who doesn't like PB&J. How many of these sandwiches are eaten as a fisherman's lunch all over the U.S. and you can choose what peanut butter or jelly-jam-preserves you like but the bread must be good ole sliced, soft white bread....what do you say?
Here's what I say Allen: White bread in a printed white plastic sleeve (tip - top/ wonder bread) and LOL American cheese and creamy style PB from roasted peanuts. Industrial grade foodstuffs I still enjoy.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John Wonder bread was a staple in our house growing up, along with Bond, and Sunbeam. That's quite a combo, Am. cheese and PB I may give it a try.
Very nicely tied. Your streamers are some of the best I've seen my friend!
ReplyDeleteMark Wittman
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Mark marabou is so friendly to us fly tyers, I love working with it. The only issue I've had with it is color bleeding.
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteFamous Grouse is indeed a Scotch Whisky - but not one I partake in! I would prefer your version, or a good single malt (Cambletown or Islay).
My two boys love PB & J (strawberry or blackcurrant J) as an occasional treat (when mum is not looking ;-) ).
Alistair
Alistair Corbishley
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Alistair back in 2003 "The Famous Grouse" company sponsored a fly tying contest at the Catskill Flt Tying Center and Museum. A required material was a grouse feather. There were a lot of flies submitted.
PB&J across the pond. Next "bangers and mashed"...
Impeccable tying and a gourmet cook too ;=). Loves some PB&J!!
ReplyDeleteWilliam Shuck
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Bill my kids thought that PB&J was the only gourmet food for a period in their lives. I still love it.
PB & J not really a thing over here in the UK
ReplyDeleteBureboyblog
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Well mate you may be able to start a new craze in the UK by introducing a great new lunch selection.
PB&J's are always in my kit. Ran into some bear bait stations this weekend while grouse hunting; they had been baiting with Marshmallow Fluff and peanut butter.
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike hope you were able to bag a few partridge.
Bears love the sweet stuff.....fluffernutters.
Whenever I watched "Dennis the Menace" as a kid, I always wondered about his favourite sandwich filling. Peanut butter, I knew but with jelly in a sanger? It was only much later that I discovered that jelly in the US is jam in OZ or the UK! Jelly for us is that wobbly coloured dessert that is so nice with vanilla ice cream and cream. It all makes sense now. Cant beat such gourmet food, can you?
ReplyDeleteNice looking streamers, Alan. A friend in the US sent me a Mickey Finn along with heaps of other flies he has tied. The trout went bonkers over it until I lost it on a snag. Not a fly that we see here downunder, just like the Hornberg.
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve Hynes
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Dennis the Menace was a favorite of mine as a kid. I think I can still find a station doing reruns of it. We also have jam which is a bit more solid than jelly, and actually I use jam. The Mickey Finn is underrated except by those who really know. Keep fishing that Hornberg.
YES!! Peanut butter and concord grape jam my parents made. It was Wonder Bread or Sunbeam for the bread. It's amazing how a simple sandwich can bring back so many childhood memories.
ReplyDeleteKurt
Brookie61
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Kurt homemade concord grape jam, now there's a treat. I love eating concord grapes. It's good to be a kid again.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI ask the question, weather to fish these streamers or frame them??? Another great job at the vice; the PB&J is my go to sandwich when I'm in a rush, rye bread is my choice of bread. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill those streamers are 100% for fishing. Rye is a good alternative. Now lets go and have one.
Looks good, however I prefer the bread toasted.
ReplyDeleteMichael Capurso
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Mike toasted bread is good. But please allow it to cool before spreading the peanut butter, man will it drip.