Tied by Matt O'Neal of Savage Flies on YouTube
The Black Marabou Streamer is a true old-school pattern with a story to match. This version by Matt O’Neal stays faithful to the simple effectiveness that made the original famous.
The origin of this pattern dates back to the summer of 1940, when Russell Skinner of Palmyra, Pennsylvania was fishing the Margaree River in Nova Scotia. Marabou was a relatively new material at the time, and Skinner happened to be fishing a marabou streamer when he hit a legendary run of sea trout. The story goes that he was hooking a fish on nearly every cast.
That’s the kind of history that gives a fly staying power. The undulating motion of marabou in the water is what makes this pattern such a killer, especially when fish are in an aggressive or opportunistic mood.
Materials
- Hook: #4-8 3-6x long
- Thread: Black
- Tail: Red hackle (optional)
- Body: Flat silver Mylar tinsel
- Wing: Black marabou
- Topping: Peacock herl
- Throat: Red hackle
- Cheeks: Jungle cock or imitation (optional)
