Waterhen Bloa's dark companion: purple silk and a snipe hackle, nothing more. The North Country's Iron Blue pattern — when the little dark olives with the slate wings are on the water in cold, blustery weather, this spider swung across the current is deadly.
1. Thread — Attach purple silk (or 8/0 purple thread) behind the eye.
2. Body — Wrap a slim, bare silk body over the rear two-thirds of the shank. No dubbing — the floss-smooth silk is the body.
3. Hackle prep — Take a small marginal covert from a snipe wing and stroke the fibers perpendicular.
4. Hackle — Tie in by the tip and wind 1–1.5 turns. Sweep back and secure.
5. Head — Small head, whip finish, touch of cement.
hook
thread
hackle
Baetis niger
