Black Ghost
By Elaine Cook
This is an old pattern, but remains successful for catching trout or bass. This fly is presented at the request of a club member. Fish in lakes on a sinking line or swing in streams or rivers.
Hook: Any 4X to 6X long hook with medium to heavy wire,
i.e. TMC 300 or Mustad 79580
Thread: Black 8/0 or 6/0
Tail: Yellow hackle fibers
Rib: Medium or fine flat silver tinsel
Body: Black floss
Throat: Yellow hackle fibers (dry fly hackle, or dry fly saddle hackle,
or hen cape hackle; best are long, fairly wide and somewhat webby)
Wing: Four white hackles (dry fly hackle, or dry fly saddle hackle,
or hen cape hackle; best are long, fairly wide and somewhat webby)
Cheek: Jungle cock eyes or plastic substitute
1. Crimp barb
2. Attach thread 1/16 inch behind eye. Wrap to rear of shank.
3. Tie in clump of fibers for tail, equal to hook gap in length, on top of shank using pinch method.
4. Wrap thread back to starting point.
5. Tie in rib on top of shank with gold side visible. Wrap floss in place on top of shank all the way to tail with thread wraps.
6. Wrap thread back to tie-in place.
7. Attach floss and wrap to tail, then forward again to tie-in place. Tie off, cut excess.
8. Wrap rib forward in 7 to 10 tight, evenly spaced wraps. Tie off, cut excess.
9. Turn hook upside down in vise.
10. Attach clump of yellow hackle fibers to bottom of hook shank, fiber length equal to hook gap. Fibers should be at 45¡ angle to hook shank. Cut butts.
11. Turn hook right side up in vise.
12. Wrap thread to eye then back to body.
13. Select two hackles from each side of cape that are the same size and shape, either straight stems or curving down.
14. Measure hackle to 1 1/2 times hook shank, strip fibers beyond that.
15. Holding all four hackles vertical, tie in right behind body. This should force the hackles up at an angle. Secure with several wraps, cut butt ends.
16. Select one cock eye for each side of hook.
17. Tie in cock eyes with them positioned up. Cut butt ends.
18. Build thread head, whip finish, cut thread.
19. Apply head cement.