Duck Season

Mallard Sakasa Kebari

I awoke this morning to the sound of duck hunters in action.  I only live a "stones throw" from the Long Island Sound so it's not unusual to hear them going about their business.  Today they sparked a little creative idea in me.  I picked up a pair of mallard duck wings back a little while ago and have used them several times for hackle in a few sakasa kebari.

I tie a fair number of flies for sale, swaps, and friends. Sometimes I just like to tie fun little diversions like this fly I call a Mallard Sakasa Kebari.  It reminds me of a mallard duck with it's grey body color, green head, and purple patch like on it's wings.  I don't know how well it will fish or if I will even cast it to a rising trout  but it seems with all that is going on in this world we can use all of the little distractions we can get. Recipe is below for anyone interested.

Mallard Sakasa Kebari

Hook: Mustad C49S scud hook, size 12

Hackle: mallard hackle from outer wing

Head: Pearsall's gossamer silk thread, highlander green

Body:  6/0 Uni-Thread, color grey & Pearsall's gossamer silk thread, purple

Variety

Various sakasa kebari

Between family, job, a hurricane, and numerous other obligations I haven't had a whole lot of extra time for other extra-curricular activities, let alone blogging.  I think it was high time that I got back up in the saddle with several posts that I had intended to post a while ago.  This past summer I had actually started a second blog....American Sakasa Kebari.  The purpose of this blog is to serve as a repository for variations and recipes of my favorite type of fly to fish and tie...the sakasa kebari. Anyone can submit their own take on this type of fly for all to appreciate and share.  The initial response was good and over 30 variations can be found on the blog to be seen by anyone interested in this fly.  I'm hoping to add many more of my own creations as well as those of many of the other very talented fly tiers out there.  If you are interested please feel free to contact me on how to contribute your own creations.  I think that sites such as this and others serve as great sources of inspiration and ideas for yet more variety.