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Black Phantom (top: killer style and below wing on top - old style tie). |
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| The cape of an Indian Grey Jungle Fowl - Gallus sonneratti. It is now a protected species and can no longer be hunted in India. The feathers have a glossy enamel sheen. |
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The Black Phantom trout lure |
The Black Phantom is the most handsome of night flies particularly when finished with an expensive jungle cock eye feather on each side. It is also an easy fly to tie. Phantoms can be tied in the modern killer style with the pukeko feathers fixed to each side; or by the old method with the wing tied on the top. It catches fish just as well either way! Personally I prefer the feathers tied on the sides because to me it just looks better.
To begin wind on your under-binding and tie a small bunch of black squirrel hairs in for the tail. You can also use black opossum tail which is cheaper. Tie in black chenille and the end of a length of silver oval tinsel at the tail. Wind the chenille back along the shank almost to the head and tie off then trim. Then wind the tinsel back over the chenille in nice even turns. Secure with thread and trim.
Tie in two pukeko flank feathers on both sides and trim. You cannot buy pukeko feathers in tackle shops because it is a game bird. You are allowed to shoot pukeko in season but you are not permitted to buy and sell the feathers. If like me you are not a shooter, or don't have a mate who is, you can often find a specimen on the side of the road that has been run over by a car. This is how I get mine. You can also buy mallard feathers that have been dyed black in tackle stores but these are nowhere near as good!
The final touch that really makes the Phantom stand out is the addition of a jungle cock eye feather over the wings on each side before finishing the head with thread. If tying the pukeko feathers on top of the hook you can also tie one jungle cock feather on the top.
Jungle cock feathers are very hard to get nowadays. The Indian Grey Jungle Fowl - Gallus sonneratti - comes from India where they were almost hunted to extinction to supply fly tiers. Luckily they became a protected species in the early 1970s. The birds are also bred commercially in England to supply the tackle trade, but a full cape, containing hundreds of eyed feathers, is shockingly expensive running to several hundred dollars. I have been very lucky in that several retired angler mates of mine who no longer tie their own flies have given me their supplies which I use sparingly. If you are so inclined you can make your own substitute jungle cock feathers using enamel paints applied to suitable feathers and tying these on instead.
See also the Black Rabbit another good night fishing trout fly. Also Black Pete and Black and Green Marabou. |
