Tying silk is purple. Wind the silk to the bend and tie in the tail whisks, greyish-brown hackle fibres for the Spring, honey dun later in the season. Now tie in a length of fine gold wire and four undyed heron primary herls. Twist the herls together and wind to form the body, followed by the gold rib. The thorax is formed by taking the waste ends of the herl backwards and forwards, as in a nymph pattern. Clip off the waste ends after forming the thorax. Tie in a sharp honey-dun cock hackle and complete the fly.

MAXWELL'S RED AND BLUE

MAXWELL'S RED

Body: Hare's flax ribbed with fine gold wire

Hackle: Hackle and setae are red cock. The red hackle should be dark and rusty-looking

MAXWELL'S BLUE

Body: Hare's flax ribbed with silver wire

Hackle: Hackle and setae, medium to dark blue-dun cock hackle, a dark rusty blue

click to enlarge

BLACK GNATS

by M.A. Meddings

BLACK GNAT 1

Tying silk: Black Gossamer

Body: A brown quill taken from the middle herls of a peacock eye feather

Hackle: Small bright black cock hackle

Wings: Two slips from the lightest grey ring-dove's feather, tied roof-style flat along the body, the points protruding just to the bend of the hook

BLACK GNAT 2

Tying silk: Brown gossamer

Body: Made from close turns of the tying silk

Wings: Two small slips of any light grey feather

Hackle: Dark Coch-y-Bonddu, small

BLACK GNAT 3

Tying silk: Black gossamer

Body: Rabbit's face ribbed with silk

Hackle: Very small Coch-y-Bonddu

The rabbit's fur must be from between the eyes and nose which is of a black-brown colour. This, and this only, is the fur to be used if the effectiveness of the fly is to be maintained.

These are three patterns, then, on which I pin my faith, and three which I feel will leave the angler in no doubt as to the effectiveness of artificial black gnats.