I’ve been calling it the “Fishing Jones” yarn – ever since I saw his Peacock Bass picture. I’m not sure what eats little Peacock Bass, but yank six inches of this stuff through the water and you’re sure to find out.
Mornings are cold and wet and with me honking snot already, wisdom has kept me indoors. I’ve got a couple of “alpha prototypes” to test this weekend; they’re not flies yet – merely strips of the material lashed onto a hook to test the physical qualities; does it shred apart, does it flap around wildly, does it resemble anything other than a Nyquil induced nightmare … the usual tests.
It’s an Italian double-eyelash yarn that is iridescent, all the colors of the rainbow are present and they glimmer like the center of a Peacock eye. 100% Polyamide – so it’s soft as a baby’s arse, and melts when exposed to flame.
What makes it difficult is the 4-strand stitch up the center. It’s unnecessary as a structural component, yet something I’ll have to work around.
The maker is Gedifra, “Costa Rica” is the yarn name. It appears to have ceased production in 2004, but can be had on eBay or some of the traditional yarn outlets.
I have to assume the best fishing yarns make the poorest fashion. Never much of a “clothes horse” myself, it certainly brings into focus the question of sense of style. I find something I like only to learn it fell out of favor four or five years ago.
I’m honored.
You know what I’d like to try that for, especially the 6″ version? Pike. I bet it would be deadly.
I like the way you’re crediting NyQuil for this. I had no idea it was such a powerful drug – kind of like Absinthe. I’m thinking of trying it next week.
“Where the hell have you been the past four days?”
“Uh, can’t really remember. Fishing, I think. Don’t know what got into me. Must have been the NyQuil.”
I’ll let you know how it works out.
It’s a interesting looking material – looks like the shiny part of a peacock eye, and it has every color in the spectrum in one ball.
The “what to do with it” is the hard part.
I would think the bass would hammer this fly, it kind of looks like a redbreasted sunfish, pumkinseed, or even a perch. If that;s the case, walleyes, pike and muskie will feast on this badboy.
Of course, this pattern would be equally effective for larger peacocks. Looks like we’ll have to hold one of our brownline conclaves in FL, with Pete showing us the way.
“What makes it difficult is the 4-strand stitch up the center. It’s unnecessary as a structural component, yet something I’ll have to work around.”
Have you tried taking a razor and cutting it down the middle? Not sure how it would hold up afterwards, but it might make it easier to work with.
Yessir,
I’ve cut the center out completely and it holds together fine. Wrapped it as hackle, burnt it using wingcase burners – and a variety of tests concluded already.
It’s the color and texture that make it compelling; it’s softer than silk, and bright as a peacock … interesting as hell to work with.
I’m looking forward to hearing about how it looks and reacts when wet.
Might also make for some interesting salmon/saltwater flies.
i might have fly rods with lesser value than that fly