Black Ghost

[agn54 0]

My first attempt at a traditional freshwater streamer. I like how it looks but am unsure on the proportions, particularly for the length and bushiness of the tail and beard. I made the wing slightly longer than the tail which seems about right. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. 

[Bryon Anderson 0]

I think it looks great! I tie mine exactly like this--both materials and proportions--and both brown trout and smallmouth regularly go for them.

A fun variation is to make the body out of black woven tubing over cut-to-shape lead tape (a la the Zonker) for a little extra bulk and weight. I do a version with a small black conehead as well. Lots of options.

[flytire 0]

@agn54 yours looks okay 👍

i tie my "marabou black ghost" similar

traditional "black ghost"

[redietz 0]

Proportions look fine to me.  I tie and fish this pattern a lot.

[agn54 0]

Thanks guys. I’m going to try the traditional feather wing next. Are there any conditions where the traditional hackle wing is preferable to the marabou wing? 

[redietz 0]

14 minutes ago, agn54 said:

Thanks guys. I’m going to try the traditional feather wing next. Are there any conditions where the traditional hackle wing is preferable to the marabou wing? 

When you're tying for show, rather than throw.

[WWKimba 0]

If you don't have one or the other in your materials box(es)!

Kim

[Ephemerella 0]

Agn54,

The proportions are fine. That fly will catch fish. Note that Herb Welch, the creator of that fly, had a wide variation in proportions, ranging from a wing much longer (3x) than the body, to the more traditional wing being 1.3x the body. And various hook lengths. Tail generally is 1-1.5x the hook gap. Wings of saddle feathers and also wings of marabou. Tails and throats generally yellow hackle feather fibers or schlappen fibers. Also he used a variety of bodies, from a narrow silk body, a silk tapered body, to a fuzzy wool body. Typically the body has a tag (a few contiguous wraps of tinsel at the rear of the body), but this is getting to details the fish probably don't notice much.