Black Gnat - Leisenring

[Soft-hackle]

Hi William,
I know the recipe calls for twisting the herl in the tying thread, or at least that is what it says in my edition of Leisenring's book. I am, however, wondering if Leisenring actually tied it that way, or was it Hidy adding his idea to the tying of this fly? The mention of twisting the herl in the thread is in parenthesis, in my edition, indicating it's an addition. Any comments?

Mark

[willowhead]

Good questions.......i'm very interested in the answer to C.B.'s question and also bout wether or not you use this when ISO's are about.

[hankaye]

Dub-ya, Howdy;

As I read the same questions came to my mind (such as it is ), as well. Only not worded quite as well.

hank

[William Anderson]

Wow, thanks everyone. I liked the way this turned myself. (can't always say that, but then you don't get to see those.)
I'm on my phone but I'll try to join the conversation best I can.
ML, I didn't give much though as to leisenring tied this way and told it to Hidy, or if it was a hidy addition. The black gnat patterns have been recorded for hundreds of years before Leisenring made his list, in one form or another. I like this composition and think it will make (has made) a great pattern. And I love sparse little black flies.

Iso's? My Iso nymphs are robust, more like zugbugs than gnats. Besides, I know Isos can emerge mid stream, but I've never seen it. I like drowned duns and nymphs, but not many emergers.

Tying: I tie in the hackle first with the stem toward the bend. Before that i flatten the silk a bit, take 3 turns to attack to the shank in front of the thorax, twist the bobbin clockwise to flatten the silk completely. Bind down the hackle stem in the direction so I don't have to double over. Clip the stem about mid shank and again be sure the silk is flat. Bring the herl tips to meet the end of the stem and continue binding these down to the point, creating a flat smooth underbody. with the silk hanging at the point, soon the bobbin counter clockwise like a top and count to ten to twist it into a nice easy cord. Hold the herl fibers along the silk and do a couple twists. Make a wrap or two but you'll have make another twist with each turn.
Sorry. To be continued.

[CreationBear]

Bring the herl tips to meet the end of the stem and continue binding these down to the point, creating a flat smooth underbody.

Very clear as is: refined technique makes for a refined fly.

[willowhead]

TKX. William.....the color just looked so good to me, figured it would do well as an ISO emerger.....long as you got the size right.....

[William Anderson]

WH, true enough about the Iso match.

I did some research to see where this pattern came from. The first one I found, and the name was already established as Black Gnat, Blue Gnat and Green Gnat in 1823 in Robert Salter's list. Before that and subsequently as well, they were called Little Black (John Swarbrick, 1807), with the same materials. These were noted in several locations as matching actual gnats in size 15 usually. John Turton tied a Black Gnat in 1936 with black silk. John Beever tied "The Black Gnat" 1849 with "silk the color of Irish snuff" whatever that means. These usually had a magpie head in front of the hackle and purple silk, but tied with black fibers twisted "screw-wise". Some of the gnats were tied with pale hackles (Bainbridge in 1816 and Salter in 1823). Ronald listed the twisted ostrich body in 1856. Pritt, Lister, Edmond and Lee, Leisenring, Wooly and Fogg in 1988 list a Black Gnat or Little Black. Sorry for the bore fest for those who don't care. I just thought it was interesting that when these guys listed only a few patterns they included the gnat imitation. I always assumed it was a generic name for some nice little black flies. I love black flies. Leisenring was the only one to call for crow. You use the materials that you have on hand in the most effective way. I still have never seen a gnat larger than a misquito. I wonder if Leisenring (or Hidy) intended these as gnat imitations. Anyone?

w

[Soft-hackle]

William,
Charles Cotton mentioned a Black Gnat with his addition of Treatise on Fly Fishing to Walton's 1676 edition of the Compleat Angler. The body was from black water-dog or the down of a young black water coot, wings from very pale-near white-mallard. The body was to be small (short) with the wings equal to the body length.

Leptophlebia cupida was, at some point, called Black Gnat, but I doubt the black gnat pattern was fashioned to represent this mayfly. To me, a gnat is small as you've said. It has been suggested by a friend on another site I frequent that the British often call a species Bibio johannis as a Black Gnat. Here's a look: http://www.commanster.eu/commanster/Ins ... annis.html.

Mark

[William Anderson]

Mark, I should have looked back beyond the North Country school to the winged wets, where most were derived. I was just looking a more contemporary relative to Leisenrings fly. Of course you're right about the UK flies. But I wonder what Big Jim was trying to imitate in Eastern PA? Just a curiousity. I wonder if Jim Slattery has any insight from the Hidy notebooks.

w

[Soft-hackle]

Hi William,
There are a number of Diptera flies, here in the U.S. that might fit the bill-Black Flies, Blow Flies and Root Maggot Flies. Some are aquatic, some terrestrial, but many available to feeding fish. Take a look at this photo of a root maggot fly I found. The eyes would definitely fit Leisenring's usage of crimson or claret tying thread. Also notice the iridescent shine on the wing-well imitated by the use of starling hackle.



Mark