Editor’s Note: This is another in a series of favorite flies used by members of Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited.
Spring has finally arrived. That is evident by the sound of gobblers thundering each morning from their roosts, the sight of dogwood trees in full bloom and the arrival of black quills.
A mid-afternoon hatch often begins at about 2 p.m., allowing for some turkey hunting in the morning, then some fishing. Black quills are found in slower-moving sections of streams, as slow-moving water with decaying plant material is ideal for black quill nymphs.
Along with these conditions, water temperatures must be cool and of high quality, a combination not always found in abundance in area waters. Most often they are found below a dogleg in some streams, and when conditions are ideal, they can provide a hatch of moderate numbers that can last as long as 7-10 days.
On abnormally cool days, especially those with a fine rain drizzle, the emergence will be even slower as nymphs struggle to dry their wings and become airborne. When finding the proper conditions for a black quill hatch, trout will key on it and almost disregard other insects. It can be a good idea to trim the bottom hackle to allow the fly to drift in the surface film.
Black quills are one of the few black May flies, although stoneflies, caddis, midges and terrestrials commonly appear in black or dark dun, but very few May flies need to be in a fly selection. Locally, Clarks Creek and Pine Creek in the Hegins Valley offer the best opportunities to fish this hatch. For anglers traveling upstate, Penn’s Creek above Cherry Run and Little Pine Creek above the dam both offer opportunities to fish this hatch.
With hatch patterns somewhat limited, the following is productive in tying a black quill:
Hook — Mustad 94840 in Size 12 or Size 14 dry fly hook with a 2X long body; Thread — black or very dark brown; Tail — Black moose mane or bucktail dyed black (There are three tails on the actual fly with middle tail being shorter, but it works well to have a bushy tail on flies); Abdomen — Black neck quill, stripped peacock herl or small black v-rib, and the body should be coated with head cement to give it the necessary shine; Thorax — Black beaver or rabbit with guard hairs removed; Ribbing — Very dark brown yarn, removing just one strand from a section; Wings — Choice of dark dun turkey flat, dark grey mallard quill, neck hackle or a burnt hackle wing; Hackle — Black or very dark dun.
Another version of the black quill is to do the hackling with dark brown, then put about two wraps of tan behind the main hackling. If fortunate enough to find a Whiting Hebert dark brown dun, it is perfect for this fly. This color is usually never listed in catalogs, but if in a shop with a wall of hackles, it is one to look for.
A black quill is a pattern most anglers may not have in their fly boxes, but when encountering a hatch those who do will be well rewarded for having them.
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