Murderous Material Made by a Madman
- Wu-Tang Clan, 7th Chamber (they can really alliterate)

We drove through Viroqua, Wisconsin today. After a stop for lunch at The Driftless Cafe (goat cheese, olives and so on - talking about some very savory fare there), it was on to The Driftless Angler for a look. A couple significant purchases were made:

(1) I am done buying raincoats. Forever. I purchased the Patagonia Rainshadow for $100 (on sale from $150 due to discontinued color). Outstanding features, truly waterproof and breathable (unlike the Cabela's fake I purchased and plan to return) is what it is. Best part though - lifetime warranty. Easy to pack. Kind of a lot of money, but I figure it's worth it. It will be outstanding in the BWCA, paired with Simms waders. All waterproof, but light and breathable too. I've been examining raincoats for almost a year now... glad to have that taken care of. You can have all the fly rods and flies in the world along... but if you are wet and cold, your enjoyment level can take a serious hit (important note: catching fish has been known to allow one to push through about anything). Two other major pluses here: Patagonia ~ good company, and I was glad to buy the jacket from a true fly shop.

(2) I posed this to the shop's owner: I want to tie small soft hackles, but all the feathers I find in the partridge and mallard mixes are too big. Do you have any micro soft hackles? Before I finished the question, he was walking to a shelf with his index finger pointed in the air... I've got what you need man. Starlings. I remember back in biology 126, the professor ranting about the starling takeover... and more recently I remember a guy telling me that he solves his soft hackle problem by shooting one starling per year. And here were their feathers then, dyed, and tucked in nice little baggies. Addict bought three dimes from dealer and moved on. I want a new drug; one that does what it should; etc. Cranked out a few tonight. Like them.

#22 scud hook 1x short
8/0 thread to your liking (much better than 6/0 for this application)
krystal flash for trailing shuck
any dubbing you have laying around your bench for small thorax
one small starling feather for soft hackle

Try some with one turn, some with two turns.

It's an iteration of John Montana's Wilted Spinach. Deadly. This will catch trout.