Equipment Outfitters

How to make one:

1. Tie in two uneven strands of Flashabou halfway along the hook shank. The longer of the strands should be at least the length of the hook shank.
2. Select a marabou plume and tie it in by the butt, halfway along the hook shank.
3. Wind the plume forward in open turns, tie it off and trim the excess.
4. Tie a mallard flank or similar feather in by the butt directly in front of the marabou plume. The concave side of the feather should face the hook shank.
5. Take two or three turns of the feather around the hook shank in front of the marabou, tie off the feather and trim the excess.
6. Form a small, neat thread head, half- hitch and trim the thread. Apply head cement to the thread wraps.

The names pheasant hopper, Sparrow and Evening, Star may not mean much to most South African fly-tiersand fly-fishers, but these patterns are well known in the United States. Created by Jack Gartside, an angler whose reputation as an innovative fly-tier has spread, not because he has published any books or magazine articles but simply by word of mouth, the patterns are all extremely effective and, most importantly, are very easy to tie, making use of materials which are cheap and freely available. Read the rest of this entry »