FLYMPH FORUM

The fly is tied on a Kamasan B410 hook size 12 using Uni-thread 8/0 purple for the body. with a peacock herl thorax. The hackle is taken from a Mallard duck wing. I tie the fly in sizes 12/14/16.

Note - This fly was created in the 1950s by Harold Howarth a Lancashire fly tyer, who fished the Snipe & Purple but wanted a more robust hackle than the snipe. He also added the peacock herl to give more ‘kick’ to the hackle. The fly was tested on the Henthorne stretch of the River Ribble, hence the name.

Wonderful post. Lovely wee spider and background.

Thank you for including the dressing. I was guessing that the hackle was waterhen. I was pleasantly surprised to read mallard duck wing. (More easy to get)

Thank you for sharing this pattern, and I hope see more of your posts in the future. Welcome aboard!

Great first post! Wonderful spider and history. Glad to have you on board.

davidriley, Howdy;

Beauty of a fly. most likely not your first attempt and the posting most likely
not your first either but is here. WELCOME to our small chunk of the universe.

hank

Interesting post / fly. Quite awhile back, I added a peacock herl thorax to a Snipe & Purple and might have to do a few more this winter.

Great fly!

I have been fond of the Starling and Purple for years.

Welcome to the forum! I too thought the hackle was waterhen, but I agree, the mallard is a more robust material.
That's a great looking fly and there's something about purple that turns the trout on, at least here in Colorado.

Post more photos of your flies please, and add the dressing too.

Thank you for your kind comments. Much appreciated.

I have tied flies ‘on & off’ for many years. All my fly fishing life I have been a wet fly angler although I am not averse to using a nymph, usually a Pheasant Tail nymph or it’s variants.
I must confess that I like to ‘meddle’ with some of the dressings. Let’s face it many of these patterns go back many years, in some cases well over a hundred or more. I am sure if their creators were alive today they too would be using some of the synthetic materials now available - well that’s my excuse!

Here is a Snipe & Purple that has been meddled with?
Hends BL599 size 14 hook, Uni-thread 8/0 purple. Thread body over wrapped with holographic purple tinsel then treated with Deer Creek UV fine resin. Thorax of peacock herl. Snipe hackle.

I hope you like it. In my view the holographic effect really adds something.

Excellent ties, one hewing to tradition and one utilizing modern materials, both inspire. Each is very likely to find fish. Great work. Thank you for the informative post and great photos.

davidriley -
Very nice work - I quite like the patterns you have posted thus far.
Would you mind posting the mallard feather details? Possibly a photo of the skin, showing the location where you plucked the feather. I too thought it was waterhen....

Welcome to the forum !

Dana