Light Spanish Needle

[Izaak]

Hook: Daiichi 1550, size 12
Thread: Pearsall's Gossamer silk, cardinal
Hackle: Starling
Head: Peacock herl

The color of the thread in the photo is orange-ish due to the existing lighting when the photo was taken. It should be a true red color. My apologies.

[Mataura mayfly]

Another very neat example of a pattern not often seen in modern times.

[redietz]

This is my favorite fly, in a size 18, from mid-January to early March. If I can find a 40 degree day in that time period, there's usually some little black stones in the air, and this is a killer pattern in such circumstances.

I usually tie this one in reverse: tie in the herl, then the hackle, wind it, and finish at the rear of the fly.

I'm sure it makes no difference to the fish.

[DOUGSDEN]

Tom,
Great looking pattern for sure! I have about a dozen or so in my box right now (I used orange instead of cardinal for the body. That's the only difference.) and they are deadly on the Bluegill that love to live in the back pond here at home. They seem to take this pattern when nothing else will do. They can be finicky farts at times! I think I will try a series with the cardinal bodies. Yours look really cool!
Doug

[DOUGSDEN]

Tom,
Correction! I am thinking "Winter Brown" that you have posted in this same catagory! Sorry about that! The Light Spanish Needle is a totally differnet pattern and so is the Dark Spanish Needle!
Having trouble remembering what I had for breakfast this morning,
Doug