Moosehead Belle, from Gian Padovani

Hook: Mustad 9672  #4-12
Thread: Black
Tail: Yellow saddle hackle barbules
Body: Scarlet red floss
Ribbing: Flat silver tinsel
Throat: Yellow saddle hackle barbules
Underwing: Mallard flank feather dyed ginger
Overwing: White Marabou

This fly was featured in the April 2000 issue of Fly Fish America.

Member's Comments:

I designed this fly in 1985 when I was in the Moosehead Region of Maine. It was
originally tested with great success on both native brook trout and landlocked salmon.
It has proven to be just as effective with rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass
and shad. The original fly was tied on hook sizes 4 and 6 for Maine waters, however for
the waters of Western North Carolina I downsized the fly to sizes 10 and 12.

The Moosehead Belle has been tested and proven in the Northeast by many other
anglers including members of LIFR and Long Island TU. It is tied and sold commercially
in several shops in Maine, New York and Western North Carolina.

The Moosehead Belle is best fished when quartered downstream in short fast pulls.
Rather than weighting the fly when tying it (It detracts from the action of the fly), you
can add one or two bead heads.

Gian Padovani