Dark Special

[Old Hat]

This is a pattern taken from western steelhead pages. A variation of the American River Special. This is an "almost forgotten" steelhead pattern usually tied in about a #8 with both light and dark variations. Fished as a caddis pattern. I haven't had much luck with it for steelhead but it makes a nice dark caddis pattern in #12-#14 sizes.

Hook: Mustad 3906B
Thread: Griffith's 14/0 Dun
Head: ostrich, very dark natural
Hackle: hen cape, dark furnace
Rib: Pearsall's silk floss, black
Body: hare's ear, darkest

[letumgo]

Are you sure the hackle is dark furnace? The black tips make me think it is a greenwells.

Fabulous dressing. I love how the ostrich herl blends in so nicely with the dark center list of the hackle. The rib also compliments the dressing.

[Old Hat]

Ray, I always had thought that the black tips were a signature of Greenwells. But in some recent posts here and a little more searching, I'm not sure. Either way, and hard to see in the photo, this hackle is darker than what I would recognize as Greenwells. I may be wrong. The package is labeled dark furnace, but I don't always go by that.

[Mataura mayfly]

To my uneducated knowledge,neither of you are correct! , the black, red, black tipped hackle is Coch-y-bondhu.

For my way of thinking Furnace is "game cock" red on the outer and very dark green/brown centre, Greenwell is similar but more pale (yellow) where Furnace is red.
Or is that Light Badger? I have even seen reference to Red Furnace and Brown Furnace...... mind boggling isn't it?

Either way, it is a very nice pattern. I do not know I could make an excuse for a #8, but #14-16..... there are possibilities there.

[FliTrap]

Great Fly, Old Hat!
I enjoy the way that the difference materials carry through the tints in the colors.

I was wondering if you can lend some insight as to the origins of the feathers referenced to
Canon Greenwell, then for the Greenwell's Glory. Did he select from a specific line of birds or was he selective in choosing the few caps that met his fancy... those with the darker edges/tips?
Just wondering were they "Cock-Y-Bondhu", Badger or Furnace?
Really I'm new to the specifics of the specifics of the feathers, but have gathered a good selection, and only recently started assessing more, what it is I have!
Thanks!
FliTrap

[letumgo]

I'm hoping Donald gets his site back on line soon. He had a very nice summary of descriptions of various hackle colorations.

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

Old hat, good looking fly!

Interesting what one finds when doing a quick goggle search.
I found the following thread on a UK forum. Page 1 near the bottom is
a picture that I think has been on this forum recently ...
it continues on page 2 ... interesting stuff.
http://www.flyfishing.co.uk/fly-tying-f ... rence.html

hank

PS. My copy of "The Fly Fisher's illustrated Dictionary" by Darrel Martin
Gives a definition of Greenwell as;
"A Ginger hackle with a black center; a ginger badger hackle. A Greenwell can have a pale red edge;
however, if the edge is dark red, the hackle is often considered to be a furnace hackle, not a Greenwell hackle."
He also goes on to discuss the origins (a few).

[gingerdun]

Carl, I like your exploration of the steelhead fly, adapting it for smaller fish.

Here's the text from THE ART OF TYING THE WET FLY regarding furnace and badger:

FURNACE—Has a very dark, black, or blue dun list next to the stem and on the tips of the fibers. In between the dark list and tips is a good color, usually a red, yellow, white, or silver. The hackles which show these three distinct markings are known as furnace hackles and the name, such as Red Furnace or Cochybondu, Yellow Furnace, etc., is determined by the color between the dark list and tips.

BADGER—Also has a dark list and colored fibers but here the color of the fibers extends from the list clear to the tips of the fibers. Thus the Badger differs from the Furnace in that the dark list does not reappear on the tips of the fibers. The name of a badger hackle, such as Yellow Badger, Silver Badger, etc., is determined by the color which extends from the list to the tips.

Maybe I am not looking hard enough, but I find furnace hackles like those in this fly very scarce.

[Mataura mayfly]

This could well morph in to a great hackle debate!

Lance, you are correct in your reference, just as others are to theirs. Where I grew up, your Badger is very much our Furnace and your Furnace our Coch-y-bondhu. Badger to us always has a cream or white outer.
I think it very much depends on which side of the Atlantic you pledge allegiance to as to exactly what you call which....... which possibly leads to a whole lot of further confusion!

[Roadkill]

This could well morph in to a great hackle debate!
I think it very much depends on which side of the Atlantic you pledge allegiance to as to exactly what you call which....... which possibly leads to a whole lot of further confusion!

Mm,

There isn't enough confusion until you add in all of us that consider which side of the Pacific the more important question.